Lauren Schachar

• Higher education strategist
• Systems builder
• Motivational coach

Dr. Lauren Schachar leads Student Affairs at CMU-Silicon Valley, where she brings vision to execution by designing experiences that are both human-centered and operationally effective. She is known for navigating complex, cross-functional challenges and building systems that reflect the real needs of graduate students. Her leadership helps shape a campus culture grounded in care, clarity, and momentum.

Most excited about:

Lauren loves taking messy, complicated puzzles and shaping them into something purposeful. She is drawn to rethinking how things are done, not just for novelty’s sake but to build smarter, more human-centered systems and designs. She is especially passionate about higher education as a structure and a system, and she never turns down a lively policy debate. As a certified StrengthsFinder coach, she finds joy in helping others see what makes them shine.

Fun facts and random musings:

Her secret talent is crafting over-the-top experiences for people she loves. Ask her about the surprise family Turkey Trot she created. She also writes children’s books for fun. Her current muse is a friendly dragon with anxiety and bad allergies. As a mom of three (soon to be four), she is constantly on her toes balancing life as a working parent. Her favorite city is Boston, where she met her husband on the Boston “T”. She is forever indebted to the Green Line. 

Professional bio:

Lauren has been part of the CMU-SV campus since 2014. She earned her doctorate in education from the University of Pennsylvania, with a focus on higher education management, and also holds a master’s degree in student development and administration. Her doctoral dissertation on income share agreements received Double Distinction and is featured by Penn’s Institute for Research on Higher Education.

Lauren has taught at both the University of Michigan and CMU-Silicon Valley, leading strategy courses focused on personal leadership and professional development. Her work centers on building values-driven systems, leading with purpose, and creating meaningful support for students.