Her Story
About Lauren
Lauren Taylor serves as Emergency Manager at Eastern State Hospital in Washington. She began her public safety career in 2001, initially aspiring to become a police officer through the Explorer program before shifting to 911 dispatching due to hearing loss. After 20 years as a dispatcher, she transitioned to emergency management approximately three years ago, a move that leverages her experience in high-pressure, life-or-death situations to inform her current work developing emergency plans, conducting drills, and promoting preparedness throughout the hospital. Taylor earned a bachelor's degree from Grand Canyon University after completing a Health Sciences Honors course in high school, and she plans to pursue a master's degree. Her most notable achievement includes receiving the Star of Life award in Washington, D.C., for dispatching during the Vegas mass shooting. She attributes her success to persistence despite numerous setbacks and emphasizes values of integrity and servant leadership. Taylor advises young women entering the field to continue learning and gaining experiences regardless of challenges, and she stresses the importance of investing in emergency management through pre-planning to mitigate future issues.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Lauren
01What do you attribute your success to?
Being persistent. There's been a lot of setbacks in my life and in my career, but I never stopped. And then when I look back at that and realize had I stopped, I wouldn't be where I'm at right now, and I wouldn't be in the position to help people the way I can.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Go to college, get an education, and go as far as you can.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Despite the people around you, and you may look different than others, keep continuing. There's never a reason you don't have to ever stop learning and stop getting experiences.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Getting people to invest in emergency management. It usually is an afterthought after the emergency happens, and the people wonder what did we do wrong, or why didn't we do this? But when you have those talks and that pre-planning, you can avoid those things from happening.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity is very big to me, especially in my personal life and at work. And I believe in servant leadership, and I try to be a servant leader in my day-to-day life, and as an emergency manager.
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