Lauren Christine Mims

Lauren Christine Mims, PhD is an associate professor in the Department of Applied Psychology at New York University's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. Dr. Mims earned her doctorate in Educational Psychology: Applied Developmental Science at the University of Virginia School of Education. Dr. Mims obtained a B.A. in English and Psychology from the University of Virginia in 2012 and a M.A. in Child Development with a concentration in Clinical Developmental Health from Tufts University in 2014.

Dr. Mims’ mixed-methods program of research uses culturally grounded developmental frameworks to explore how sociocultural stressors impact Black children’s learning and development, with the goal of identifying and amplifying the strengths and assets in children, families, and schools that may buffer the deleterious academic, social, and psychological effects that Black youth experience in response to bias and discrimination. The ultimate goal of her research is to freedom dream (Kelley, 2002) with Black children and their families, and then use that brilliance to guide the development of new research, policies, practices, and narratives.

Dr. Mims was formerly Assistant Director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans during the Obama Administration, where she focused her efforts on student programming, policymaking, strategic planning and management of projects and priorities including, but not limited to, centering youth voice, supporting federal interagency relationships, the development of research-based publications and handbooks for students, managing the Initiative social media accounts, and engaging with stakeholders through multi-media platforms. She was a member of the White House Council on Women and Girls, the U.S. Department of Education Policy Committee, the U.S. Department of Education Socioeconomic Diversity Working Group, as well as a member of First Lady Michelle Obama's Reach Higher Working Group.