Lauren Hood is an urban planning professional and native Detroiter who, after many moons in the business realm, sought to find work that was more intrinsically rewarding.  While studying for her Masters in Community Development at the University of Detroit Mercy, she developed a passion for creating engagement strategies, recognizing that long-time city residents, like her, are often at a remove from the planning process.  She advocates for inclusion in planning, development and equity in all aspects of life.  Previously, she worked in Community and Economic Development for the City of Highland Park and currently serves as the Community Engagement Manager for Loveland Technologies, the tech company commissioned by the Detroit Blight Authority to acquire and manage property data used to facilitate demolition related decisions.  She also develops programing and facilitates small, group dialogues around race and equity issues for her LLC, Deep Dive Detroit.  Lauren serves as a mayoral appointee to the Historic District Commission and on the Board of Directors for Preservation Detroit as the preservation of culture and historical landscapes is critical in light of Detroit’s current pace of development.

www.deepdivededtroit.com (forthcoming)