Lauren Lawhon
President & COO
Health Union
Queen of Framework
Lauren Lawhon is, in baseball parlance, a five-tool player—that rare individual who possesses a combination of talents—and excels at all. She is intuitive, studied, humble, adaptable, and an excellent communicator.
With over 20 years in healthcare, Lauren effectively manages company priorities, new opportunities, changing dynamics, and leads growth. Dubbed the “queen of framework” by Health Union leaders, Lauren has an uncanny ability to cut through the noise and get everyone aligned on action items and moving forward—together.
Lauren understands that Health Union’s most important assets are its people, and she makes sure that her employees—not to mention patients and partners—feel heard. She values one-on-one meetings and uses these conversations to understand people’s evolving needs and perceptions.
Lauren sees everything, as one VP states, “through a filter of pragmatism.”
For example, following a rigorous year of growth, some expressed a strong desire to keep up the momentum. Lauren, recognizing key limitations, instituted a year-long, scaled-back approach that shifted the company focus to evaluate needs and better position itself for long-term growth. While many companies might have dived headfirst into a growth and expansion mindset, Lauren steered the entire company down a strategic path that set them up for greater success.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Lauren’s leadership kept employees focused and engaged. She found ways to keep people connected through small coffee meets and group happy hours.
She has played an integral role to ensure strategic priorities are addressed and growth isn’t compromised. For example, she consistently takes the time to understand audience consumption preferences and works across departments to address overall need. She was a key player in the creation of Health Union’s engagement platform, Nexus. Perhaps most importantly, Lauren enthusiastically serves in many invaluable leadership roles, and makes sure all stakeholders are informed, heard, and aligned.
As the company continues to grow, Lauren’s ability to connect with, motivate, strategize, and operationalize all elements of Health Union makes her an elite leader and role model for the healthcare industry.
