Lauren Bell
About Lauren Bell
Lauren Bell is a Senior Program Manager at Catholic Relief Services, with extensive experience in international development and education programs across various countries. She has held multiple roles in organizations such as the Peace Corps and ACDI/VOCA, and has a strong academic background in International Education Management and Public Administration.
Current Role at Catholic Relief Services
Lauren Bell serves as a Senior Program Manager at Catholic Relief Services, a position she has held since 2022 in Bujumbura, Bujumbura Mairie, Burundi. In this role, she is responsible for overseeing various international development projects, ensuring they align with the organization's mission and objectives. Her experience in program management allows her to effectively lead teams and manage resources to achieve project goals.
Previous Experience at Catholic Relief Services
Lauren Bell has held multiple roles at Catholic Relief Services. She served as Acting Chief of Party for five months in 2021 in Savannakhét, Laos, and later as Chief of Party from 2021 to 2022 in the same location. Additionally, she worked as Program Manager II, focusing on Education & Literacy as Deputy Chief of Party from 2019 to 2021 in Sierra Leone. She also completed a Programming Internship in Liberia in 2019.
Experience with Peace Corps
Lauren Bell worked with the Peace Corps as Gender Programs Coordinator from 2017 to 2019 in Liberia. In this role, she focused on gender-related initiatives and programs. Prior to this, she served as Peace Corps Media Coordinator with ACDI/VOCA in 2014 and as a Peace Corps Agriculture Field Extension Agent from 2012 to 2014 in Ghana. Her work in these positions contributed to her expertise in international development.
Educational Background
Lauren Bell studied at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, where she earned a Master of Public Administration (MPA) and specialized in International Education Management from 2015 to 2017. She also holds a degree in Graphic Communications Management from Murray State University, which she completed from 2005 to 2010. This educational background supports her work in program management and international development.
Project Management and Initiatives
Lauren Bell managed the Bigebose project, part of the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program funded by the USDA. Her role involved supporting the start-up of new awards in international development projects, which showcases her capability in project management and implementation within the sector.