Lauren Barnes

Lauren Barnes has extensive work experience in corporate communications and marketing. Lauren currently holds the position of Vice President of Corporate Communications & Branding at ITA International, where they are responsible for developing and executing strategic communication plans aligned with the company's objectives and brand ethos. Previously, Lauren served as the Senior Director of Integrated Marketing and Communications at ITA International, where they led proposal activities and directed proposal and technical writers.

Prior to their role at ITA International, Lauren worked at HII Technical Solutions, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries, as the Manager of Strategic Communications and the Manager of Communications – Nuclear & Environmental Group. In these positions, they developed business communications strategies, executed customer engagement programs, and curated and edited employee publications. Earlier in their career, Lauren held various positions at Northrop Grumman Corporation, including Manager of Global Media Relations, Corporate Manager of the News Bureau, Manager of Social Media, and Public Relations Representative. During their time at Northrop Grumman, they championed sector-wide media engagement, orchestrated strategic media events, led the development of a corporate social media strategy, and crafted key messages for high-priority programs.

Lauren began their career as a Production Assistant at WVEC-TV.

Lauren Barnes earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast Journalism from Hampton University, where they studied from 2001 to 2005. Lauren also holds a certification in the C2 VLA - New Manager Program from the Valar Institute, obtained in 2022.