Lauren Janus
Chief Operating Officer and Director
Lauren is the Chief Operating Officer and Director of Phīla Engaged Giving. She oversees operational and financial strategies, spearheads the development of new products and services, and is the firm’s senior leader in the Midwest office. Lauren contributes to the field by speaking on cross-cultural giving, participatory grantmaking, and racial equity within organizations and family systems. Lauren leads client engagements and particularly enjoys partnering with people working to explore and reverse traditional power dynamics in philanthropy.
With 20 years of deep professional experience in impact driven agencies, Lauren is passionate about the power of philanthropy to further racial equity, build community, and unleash wealth to the benefit of society.
A native of the nonprofit sector, Lauren has held every seat at the table from fundraiser to senior leadership positions and has a keen understanding of the unique challenges and critical role of nonprofit organizations around the world. After a decade earning her nonprofit chops in organizations as diverse as United Way, AARP and Al Gore’s Alliance for Climate Protection, Lauren returned to school to earn an MBA to better understand the business side of social change. She has served on a number of nonprofit boards, including Hands on Bay Area and Wake the Beast, a youth advocacy-focused nonprofit.
Through years of work in the US and in the UK, Lauren has gained extensive experience in philanthropic advising and family dynamics and is a certified 21/64 Advisor. As an entrepreneur, Lauren founded Thoughtful Philanthropy, Scotland’s only philanthropic advising firm before returning to the US after nearly eight years living and working in Europe.
At Phīla, Lauren works with our family and corporate clients and writes extensively on the history of philanthropy and best practice, trust-based philanthropy and giving with a racial justice lens. Lauren also manages The Share Fund, a participatory grantmaking body focused on racial and gender justice. She is a co-manager of PEAK Grantmaking’s Midwest Chapter and serves on a committee for the Chicago Council on Planned Giving.
Lauren has a BA from Carleton College, an MA in International Affairs from The George Washington University and an MBA from UC Davis. Lauren is an avid reader and runner and serves on the PTA leadership for her children’s public school. She lives with her husband and two young boys in Evanston, IL.