Lauren Desimone

Lauren DeSimone serves as the Director of Food Systems Investment Strategy at Locus, where responsibilities include managing a capital fund and development services to promote equitable access to capital within regional food systems. Additionally, Lauren co-leads the Southeast USDA Regional Food Business Center. Prior to this role, Lauren worked as a consultant in product development at The Change Decision, offering advice on change management and workplace culture. Experience also includes consulting and mentoring at the Greater Richmond Small Business Development Center and THRIVE Mentoring, along with a position as Vice President of Engagement at EngageMore, where Lauren acted as an account manager for a SaaS startup. Other roles encompass involvement with community partnerships at Gather, project management at Community Food Lab, and serving as Program Director at YMCA of Greater Richmond. Lauren holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture from Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts and completed the altMBA program in 2018.