“California, by far our nation’s largest state by population, is also a civics lab. It aims big and swings hard. For better or worse, it’s not shy about making bold changes, even by popular referendum.
“As a policy wonk drawn to speeches and debates, I feel fortunate to have earned my spurs under the Sacramento Dome. Here I’ve watched many lobbyists come and go, learning from their successes (and failures) that to influence policy one must be able to read issues from a legislator’s point of view — to think like a legislator, whether or not you have ever has served as one.
“In some ways Sacramento, Salem and Olympia aren’t that different. But here on the West Coast we learn quickly to spot those who fly in acting as though they alone have the answers. The better lobbyists work differently: they figure out who they need in the room, whose experiences to draw upon. When working with the Utilities and Energy Committee, for example, they know how important it is to understand the interplay between the PUC, the ISO and load-serving entities.
“In the California Legislature I have had the luxury of working closely not only with that committee, but also with Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials, with Insurance, with Banking and Finance, and with Business and Professions. I came to know not only the public-facing work of the legislature, but also what happens when the staff retires from the hearing room, when the electeds huddle, when the doors close and options are weighed, and hard decisions get made.
“At Serlin Haley, I now get to apply lessons from such experience, while gaining a new perspective on a world I have already come to know well. With that comes a new set of challenges, but I welcome them and look forward to working to ensure that, through me, my new clients’ voices ring true.”
Lauren joined Serlin Haley in 2019 after serving for six years on staff in both the California Assembly and Senate, most recently as Capitol Director for Assemblymember Phillip Chen (R-55, Orange County). She graduated from the University of California at Davis in 2013, where she majored in political science with a minor in war and peace studies. A trivia buff and a “huge foodie,” she spends her free time doing improv comedy and seeking out the world’s best lattes.