Lauren Wood

Policy Analyst

Lauren Wood serves as a policy analyst for the NGA Center for Best Practices where she focuses on public health issues, behavioral health, substance use, mental health, and in the COVID-19 context the personal protective equipment supply chain.

Prior to joining NGA, Wood worked at the Pew Charitable Trusts providing research, policy, and project management expertise to the Substance Use Prevention & Treatment Initiative. Before moving to D.C. she lived in Colorado and worked as a grants manager, case worker, and counselor at a federally qualified health center specializing in individuals suffering from homelessness, substance use, and mental health challenges.

Wood holds a master’s degree in policy and health promotion from the University of Arizona. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in family studies and human development from the University of Arizona, and a bachelor’s degree in nutrition and dietetics from Metro State University of Denver.

Though she has lived in over seven states, her roots were grown in Kentucky.