In this Meet the Team episode of From the Lobby, host Joanna Pasceri sits down with Lauren Voorhees, a recent University of Toronto graduate stepping into a full-time associate role in the New York City office of O’Donnell & Associates. Voorhees brings a background in political science and psychology, time spent with the public defense nonprofit Gideon’s Promise, and a global perspective shaped by living in Spain, Denmark, and Switzerland. The conversation moves from the systemic inequities facing marginalized communities in the criminal justice system to the funding challenges nonprofits face in today’s political landscape—and what it takes to turn skeptics into supporters.
Joanna Pasceri
Every deal, every decision, it all comes back to people developing the strategy, making the calls, and building the relationships that move things forward. Hi everyone, and thanks for joining us from the lobby with Jack O’Donnell for another episode of Meet the Team. This is where we take you a step closer to the work at O’Donnell & Associates by introducing you to the people behind it, what they’ve seen, what they’ve worked on, and how they think about the issues shaping policy right now. Today we’re joined by Lauren Voorhees, recent graduate of the University of Toronto, now stepping into a full time associate position in our New York City office. She comes in with a strong focus on our legal system and a global perspective shaped by living and studying across Europe. She’s bringing all of that into this next chapter. Lauren, so great to have you with us. Welcome to the lobby.
Lauren Voorhees
Hey Joanna, thanks for having me. It’s great to be here.
Joanna Pasceri
So let’s start at the beginning. You’ve studied political science and psychology. When did this path first click for you? How did you know it was your passion?
Lauren Voorhees
I think this path first clicked for me when I came to the understanding that everything is political and that just by virtue of being members in a society are we political agents. Everything ranging from our financial markets to our food, education, our art systems, all are influenced by politics and human relations. So appreciating this was definitely a catalyst for my leaning towards courses and forums where I could explore politics. My earliest memory was when I would participate in Model United Nations when I was much younger. And my interest in politics really grew from there. And then I think psychology pairs well with political science. I’ve always found the science behind group dynamics and reading a room or personality development really fascinating.
Joanna Pasceri
That’s pretty fascinating to be so young and be interested in things like the United Nations. What sparked that at such a young age?
Lauren Voorhees
Yeah, that’s a great question. I think, you know, from living abroad, I got to meet a lot of international students and to be honest, this opportunity came to our school. So I have to give our school credit for having those opportunities for us. And they let us tour the UN and it was really cool. And I think from there I just got really interested in it.
Joanna Pasceri
Well, let’s dive into your diverse background. You spent time with Gideon’s Promise, a nonprofit organization that works to provide equal justice for marginalized communities. What did you see there that really stuck with you?
Lauren Voorhees
The work Gideon’s Promise does in supporting public defense is invaluable. Public defenders are the bridge between the integrity of the justice system and our communities. So often when a defendant comes into a courtroom, we judge someone on a personal basis without taking into consideration the system they are a product of. It’s no coincidence that marginalized communities have higher incarceration rates. These are communities whose public services are systematically underfunded, whose public education systems are of lesser quality than their more privileged counterparts. So I think when we abstract away from an individual to understand the systemic shortfalls them and the generations before them have faced, we begin to see the bigger picture. Two defendants can have been accused of the same crime, but the difference between one of them walking away with minimal consequences and living a normal life versus the other, incarcerated, separated from their family, with their future opportunities largely gone, lies in whether they can afford a private attorney. And that’s why the work public defenders do is so important.
Joanna Pasceri
So really, it comes down to money.
Lauren Voorhees
The criminal justice system is a business, much like many other aspects in the country, and it really does come down to money. Whether you can afford a good attorney or not can make all the difference.
Joanna Pasceri
Well, I thought this was amazing. You’ve lived in Spain, Denmark, Switzerland. That’s a different lens than most people bring into New York politics. So how has that shaped the way you look at government or problem solving?
Lauren Voorhees
That’s a great question. I think living abroad teaches you to think outside the box and breaks down the assumption that there’s only one way of solving a problem. It gives you a holistic lens through which you can analyze issues and allows you to look at things from different angles. Experiencing different political systems has allowed me to extract different lessons from them, really reflect on the pros and cons of certain approaches to policy and witness the effects different governance styles have on societies. And I’d like to believe that this has made my approach to decision making and problem solving more contributory.
Joanna Pasceri
So now you’re stepping into a full time role here at O’Donnell & Associates. How do you take that vast experience and apply it to the work we do with our clients?
Lauren Voorhees
Working with a nonprofit has made me appreciate the roadblocks and challenges nonprofit organizations face when it comes to funding in the regulatory landscape. One of the biggest challenges in these kinds of funding environments is getting people who are skeptical of your cause to change their mind and see the value of contributing. It’s one thing getting someone who believes in your cause to contribute, but it’s a whole other ballpark getting non-believers to do so. And I’ve learned that a lot of the time it takes knowing how to approach skeptics who aren’t fully sold on your cause in order to achieve your funding goals. I’ve witnessed and worked with some really talented people who’ve pulled this off. And I now carry an awareness into my work and have learned the value of how important finding funding in difficult places is and how important these kinds of difficult conversations are, and that while it’s challenging, it is possible.
Joanna Pasceri
Would you say the number one issue for nonprofits at this time? Funding?
Lauren Voorhees
Yes. And I think it’s increasingly more prevalent, you know, in today’s political landscape where we’re having sort of funding redistributions, lots of changes, and nonprofits, I think, so many of the times, really nothing is handed to them and they have to fight twice as hard to get funding from a variety of sources. So that was something that I experienced working with Gideon’s Promise—that fundraising was really one of their main goals.
Joanna Pasceri
Is there a key to getting people to want to buy into what you’re doing?
Lauren Voorhees
I think there’s an element of bringing people to the table and knowing the difference between a maybe and a no. I think what I witnessed was that they were able to maybe scout or reach out to people that could be on the fence, people that historically have been open about supporting causes. And it’s one thing to get a group of people who are willing to sit down with you and who have that maybe in their mind that they could be skewed versus other people who might be more close minded. And I saw that they put their resources into the maybes and they would sit them down, have conversations with them. And you do see success. A lot of the times you don’t. It is hard to get somebody to believe in something that they initially might be hesitant about, but it definitely is possible.
Joanna Pasceri
Well, you’re just getting started here. What are you most excited to dig into and what kind of work are you hoping to be a part of?
Lauren Voorhees
I’m looking really forward to just being hands on and getting exposure to a lot of different aspects of what the team here at O’Donnell & Associates does. O’Donnell & Associates has such a wide variety of clients and are experts across so many sectors, including AI, healthcare, and transportation. And it’s a privilege to learn from and be part of a team that’s moving New York forward. And I’m really excited to be a part of it all.
Joanna Pasceri
Let’s switch gears for just a second. When you’re not working, how do you spend your time? What do you enjoy most outside of work?
Lauren Voorhees
I love to play soccer. I’ve been playing soccer since I was a little kid, and it’s my favorite sport, so that’s definitely my go-to outside of work activity.
Joanna Pasceri
What do you think about the World Cup coming to New York City, and will you be able to take part in any of that?
Lauren Voorhees
Oh, I wish. I’m definitely looking into tickets, though. Those things are hard to get. But I’m really excited. I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be a lot of fun.
Joanna Pasceri
What do you think it means to have that in New York?
Lauren Voorhees
I think it’s a great opportunity. I think it shows that New York, you know, despite everything that’s going on in the world right now, is welcoming and opening their doors to lots of tourists, lots of international people. You know, I think it’s always a great sign when a city or a state prioritizes sport. Sport just brings people together and it’s a lot of fun. It definitely uplifts the mood.
Joanna Pasceri
Yes. Well, Lauren, it’s been great hearing about your experiences and how they shape the way you approach your work. We are thrilled you’re taking on this expanded role with the firm, and welcome to the team.
Lauren Voorhees
Thank you, Joanna. It’s been a pleasure.
