About Lauren Meister

Lauren has extensive experience managing projects, including creating proposals, developing and soliciting requests for bids, generating budgets, preparing project materials, hiring and overseeing suppliers, troubleshooting, and managing client needs. She was Firm Principal of Meister & Associates, a market research company, from 1991 to 2024. Pivoting from market research to emergency management, Lauren is currently the Program Manager for Emergency Network Los Angeles (ENLA), the official VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) for Los Angeles County. 

Key Professional Skills: 

• Entrepreneurial, self-starter with keen business sense; 
• Organized, resourceful, and detail-oriented; 
• Able to juggle multiple projects simultaneously; 
• Strong communication skills – both oral and written.

As Councilmember for the City of West Hollywood, Lauren provides leadership and policy direction; makes critical decisions, including approval of the City’s $100+ million annual operating budget and funding for capital projects; and works on a variety of issues, such as introducing business continuity and community resilience initiatives; implementing public safety and emergency preparedness programs; delivering social services to vulnerable populations; evaluating planning, land use, and housing policies; helping neighborhood-serving businesses thrive in a fast-changing urban environment; and increasing community engagement.  

Key Civic Leadership Skills: 

• In-depth knowledge of city planning tools, including the General Plan, Strategic Visioning Plan, Hazard Mitigation Plan, Zoning Ordinance, Housing Element, and Climate Action Plan; 
• Advocate for public safety, emergency preparedness, and resilience.

During her tenure as a Councilmember for the City of West Hollywood, Lauren has served two terms as Mayor. In her first term as Mayor (April 2016-May 2017), Lauren joined with mayors from across the nation to show support for preserving the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and protecting LGBT, immigrant and refugee communities. She also initiated an item to take steps to prohibit West Hollywood City Hall from doing business with entities that provide financial or other benefits to the President of the United States and develop socially conscious banking policies. In her second term as Mayor (September 2021-January 2023), Lauren focused on public safety, community resilience, and emergency preparedness. She represented West Hollywood on the Los Angeles County City Selection Committee, the Los Angeles County Sanitation District, and the Sanitation District Personnel Committee.

As Councilmember for the City of West Hollywood, Lauren has served as a delegate on the Westside Cities Council of Governments (WSC COG) and currently represents the Westside Cities on the Regional Council of the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG District 41). She also serves on the Energy and Environment Committee (EEC). Prior to being appointed to the Regional Council, Councilmember Meister served on SCAG's Community, Economic, and Human Development (CEHD) Committee. Locally, Lauren has served on the Plummer Park subcommittee and Laurel House subcommittee since her first term. She also has served on the City's Finance and Budget subcommittee and Homeless Initiative subcommittee.

As a Planning Commissioner for the City of West Hollywood (2011-12), Lauren considered land use matters utilizing the City’s General Plan and Zoning Ordinance, participated in the commission’s Long Range Planning and Design Review subcommittees, and reviewed environmental impact reports, staff reports, and other planning documents. As a Public Safety Commissioner for the City of West Hollywood (2004-08), she evaluated and made recommendations regarding public safety deployment, neighborhood livability issues, and strengthening community response to emergencies. 

Lauren received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of California, Santa Barbara and graduated with high honors (Phi Beta Kappa, Dean's List scholar). In 2014, she received a Certificate of Completion in Civic Mediation from the LA County Bar Association/Center for Civic Mediation. 

During the pandemic shutdown, Lauren earned her Master's degree in Public Administration (MPA) with a concentration in Emergency Services Management from Columbia Southern University.

Lauren has specialty preparedness training in several areas, including: Community Emergency Response Team (LA County Fire Department/CERT); Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED (American Red Cross Training Services); and Active Threat (High-Speed Tac Med). She earned a Certificate of Achievement from FEMA's Emergency Management Institute for completion of its Professional Development Series (IS-120.c, IS-230.e, IS-235.c, IS-240.c, IS-241.c, IS-242.c, and IS 244.b) and holds completion certificates for independent EMI study courses IS-100.c, IS-200.c, IS-288.a, IS-520, IS-545, IS-700.b, IS-800.d, IS-908, IS-909, and IS-1300. She also received a Certificate of Completion from Cal OES/California Specialized Training Institute for the state's online emergency management course, SEMS G606.

Lauren grew up in Brooklyn, New York and is a proud graduate of Samuel J. Tilden High School. Following graduation, she and her family moved to Southern California, where the family settled. After she earned her Bachelor's degree from UC Santa Barbara, Lauren moved to the Los Angeles area and worked in several different industries before finding her niche in market research. She started her own company, Meister & Associates, in 1991 and has been specializing in project management ever since. A resident of West Hollywood for over 30 years, Lauren has been both a renter and a homeowner in the City. She has lived in the Weho Heights area, TriWest, and West Hollywood West, where she started her journey in public service. Lauren’s parents, sister, and adorable rescue dogs, Sammy and Suki, also call West Hollywood home. Lauren is an avid dog lover, is entranced by anything Apple, walks two miles (and 10,000 steps) per day, and is a staunch advocate for community resilience.