Dr. Lauren Hodges

Dr. Lauren Hodges has a diverse range of work experience in the field of child advocacy and support services. Dr. Lauren is currently the founder of Kula Empowered, where they developed an app to prevent child victimization. Dr. Lauren is also a founder member of Parenthood Ventures, an ecosystem for parent-focused startups. Prior to these roles, Dr. Hodges served as the Director of Placement & Behavioral Health Services at Family Support Services, where they achieved significant improvements in team performance. Dr. Lauren has also held positions as a manager at Suncoast Center, Inc., director of admissions at Brandon School & Residential Treatment Center, and MDT Manager & Forensic Interviewer at the Children's Advocacy Center of Suffolk County. Dr. Hodges has a strong commitment to improving the lives of children and families and has a track record of building partnerships and promoting equity and inclusion in their work.

Dr. Lauren Hodges received their Doctor of Social Work degree from the University of Southern California in 2023. Prior to that, they earned a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree with a specialization in Social Innovation & Mental Health from Boston College - Graduate School of Social Work between 2011 and 2013. In 2010, they completed their Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Sociology at Concordia University. Dr. Lauren began their undergraduate studies at the University of Victoria in 2003 and graduated in 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Philosophy and Religious Studies.