Lauren Witherspoon

Lauren Witherspoon is a strategic higher education and operations leader with more than 15 years of progressive experience advancing institutional priorities and organizational effectiveness within complex university environments. Throughout a career spanning Arizona State University and other higher education institutions, Lauren has developed expertise in executive operations, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, organizational change management, and cross-functional project leadership, with a strong commitment to collaboration, innovation, and student success.

Currently serving as Project Manager for the C3E and Energy Forward initiatives within LightWorks® and Global Futures Laboratory®, Lauren leads multi-unit collaborations involving university, industry, government, and research partners to advance strategic energy and sustainability objectives. In this role, she coordinates high-visibility initiatives and stakeholder engagement efforts that align institutional priorities, timelines, and deliverables across complex partnerships.

Prior to this role, Lauren served in executive administrative support and operations leadership positions within the Office of the University Provost and University College. In these roles, she acted as a principal liaison and trusted partner to executive leadership, managing high-priority initiatives, confidential matters, strategic communications, and operational coordination across multiple university units. Lauren led the development of operational systems and administrative processes supporting the centralized Dean’s Office and several University College units, improving workflow efficiency and cross-unit collaboration. Additional responsibilities included supervising administrative operations, directing strategic initiatives focused on student success, and founding the UC Connect initiative to strengthen organizational culture and employee engagement.

Lauren spent nearly a decade in University Registrar Services as Assistant Director of Residency Classification, where she led residency operations and supervised teams responsible for complex, policy-intensive student residency determinations. During this time, Lauren partnered extensively with university leadership, university general counsel, and Arizona Board of Regents staff and general counsel to interpret policy, address constituents' concerns, and support consistent application of policy and federal and state statutes. She also contributed to several major operational and strategic initiatives, including the development of the Residency Navigator web tool and a large-scale digitization and workflow automation effort that significantly reduced operational costs, improved service delivery, and enhanced student support outcomes.

Earlier in her career, Lauren served as an academic advisor, where she supported student success through academic advising, persistence and retention strategies, navigating complex university systems, and policy guidance.

Across every stage of her career, Lauren has been recognized for her ability to synthesize complex information into actionable strategies, build strong collaborative partnerships, and guide organizations through change with a stakeholder-centered and data-informed approach. Lauren's professional work reflects a deep commitment to operational excellence, inclusive leadership, and advancing the mission of higher education through innovation and strategic collaboration.