Lauren McNeil

Lauren joined the Office of Victim Assistance in January 2024 as a Victim Advocate Counselor. Lauren received her Bachelor's in Social Work from Stockton University and her Master's in Social Work with a concentration in child welfare and child well-being from the University of Pennsylvania. Lauren is clinically licensed in Colorado and California.

Before joining OVA, Lauren worked as a child advocate social worker in Philadelphia, where she provided legal and social services advocacy. She also previously served as a trauma therapist for children. Aside from direct clinical services, Lauren previously worked with survivors of human trafficking in a policy role to advocate for survivor-led initiatives ranging in projects from state legislation to community-based advocacy. Her other advocacy efforts also include providing expert witness testimony in court proceedings, as well as organizing community wide discussions on how to best serve community members in a way that is based in harm reduction and amplifies the voices of survivors. 

Lauren approaches therapeutic interventions and advocacy using a diverse set of modalities, including solution-focused therapy, polyvagal theory and IFS/parts work. Lauren cares deeply about an individual's right to be supported and believed and is passionate about providing these services in a way that is welcoming, empowering and within a decolonial framework.