Lauren G. Meehan, graduated from Princeton University with a Bachelor’s in Art & Archeology in 2008 and completed a Master’s in Criminal Justice from Rutgers University in 2010, focusing on art crime. Director of the Arts Ed Newark since April 2016, she previously spent five years as Program Associate at Victoria Foundation where she focused on arts, education, youth, and community development. A former youth violinist with the New Jersey Intergenerational Orchestra, Lauren understands the impact and value of early and sequential, high-quality arts instruction for youth. Ms. Meehan has been a classroom educator, a youth development program manager, and mentor throughout the past 15 years.  She has been an active participant in the arts, education, and philanthropic communities, serving as a founding member and later the co-chair of the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers Emerging Leaders Affinity group until 2016, a 2014 Leadership Newark Fellow, and is a charter member of the National Guild for Community Arts Education Emerging Leaders Affinity Group. She has been engaged in trauma-informed and healing centered work with Arts Ed Newark since 2017. Lauren is Co-Chair of the Princeton University Alumni Schools Committee for Essex and Hudson Counties. She also works with the Princeton University Office of Career Services as a member of the Tiger Career Alumni Council.