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Lauren Alvis

Helping organizations promote health equity through data-driven solutions.

Email:

Location:

Houston, TX

Home Town:

San Antonio, TX

Ethnic Identity:

Mixed, 3rd-Generation Latina, and White

Pronouns:

she/her/hers

  • Linkedin

About

I’m a Lifespan Developmental Psychologist and Applied Quantitative Statistician, committed to using data as a tool for promoting health equity and social justice. My work combines advanced statistical methods with an understanding of human development to:

  1. design data systems

  2. conduct research and evaluation

  3. translate findings into insights that can directly inform practice and decision-making.

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Current Role

As Senior Director of Research at the Trauma & Grief Center, I lead research from conceptualization to implementation, supporting efforts to improve and expand access to evidence-based care for youth impacted by trauma or loss. I use programming tools like R to develop data dashboards and databases, streamlining processes and enhancing evaluation and service delivery. My goal is to ensure these practices are effective, accessible, and culturally relevant.

Research Interests

My research examines the structural inequities that contribute to mental health disparities while identifying cultural and community-based strengths that support the well-being of youth of color. I use data to inform strategies that disrupt these inequities and strengthen pathways to thriving, ultimately advancing health equity.

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Personal Life

When I'm not crunching numbers and wrangling datasets, I enjoy embracing the hot, humid Houston weather by exploring the city on my Harley. 

Timeline

May 2020 - December 2020

May 2019 - May 2020

May 2019

May 2016

May 2014

Postdoctoral Quantitative Research Associate

Institute for Research on Youth Thriving and Evaluation, Montclair State University, NJ

Advisors: Drs. Jennifer Urban and Miriam Linver

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

The Trauma and Grief Center, Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children’s Hospital , TX

Advisor: Dr. Julie Kaplow

Ph.D. Lifespan Developmental Psychology, with specialization in Advanced Quantitative Statistics

West Virginia University, WV

Dissertation: Distinguishing beliefs about social inequality: Associations among dimensions of critical consciousness

M.S. Lifespan Developmental Psychology

West Virginia University, WV

Thesis: Helping others vs. fixing the system: Distinguishing facets of adolescents’ civic reasoning

B.A. Psychology

The University of Alabama, AL

Minor: Human Development

January 2024 - Present

December 2021 - December 2023​

December 2020 - December 2021

Senior Director of Research

The Trauma and Grief Center at Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute

Houston, TX

Director of Research

The Trauma and Grief Center at Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute

Houston, TX

Research Psychologist 

The Trauma and Grief Center at Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute

Houston, TX

Let's Connect!

If you’re passionate about using data to create meaningful change and would like to collaborate on human-centered projects, I’d love to connect!

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