Lauren Speeth, 2026 Women’s History Month Profile

DBA ’92, LHD ’10, Golden Gate University
Co-Founder, The Elfenworks Foundation
Author, Leadership Advisor, Filmmaker, and Social Entrepreneur

In honor of Women’s History Month, Golden Gate University (GGU) celebrates Dr. Lauren Speeth, a social entrepreneur and educator whose career reflects a long-standing belief that education can shape leaders and strengthen communities.

Building a Foundation for Leadership

Dr. Speeth’s professional journey has included work in technology, teaching, filmmaking, and philanthropy. Across each chapter of her career, education has remained a central influence.

Lauren earned a Doctor of Business Administration in Management from Golden Gate University while continuing her professional work. At GGU, she studied leadership and organizational strategy in a program designed to connect academic insight with real organizational challenges. Like many students at the university, Lauren pursued graduate study while working, using the experience to deepen her understanding of how organizations operate and how leaders guide them through change.

That combination of study and practice shaped the perspective she continues to bring to her work today. The questions she explored during her doctoral studies (about leadership, responsibility, and the role organizations play in society) continue to inform the projects and partnerships she pursues.

Teaching, Technology and Storytelling

Before launching her nonprofit initiatives, Lauren spent years working in Silicon Valley’s technology sector. Her experience ranged from early-stage startups to larger companies, giving her a close view of how innovation, leadership, and organizational culture shape institutions.

Alongside her work in technology, Lauren taught university courses in management, statistics, and computer science, and later lectured internationally on leadership and social entrepreneurship. Over time, she became increasingly interested in storytelling as a way to explore leadership and social change. Through Elfenworks Productions, she began producing films and creative projects that highlight issues such as social justice, environmental stewardship, and community resilience.

That interest in storytelling also led to the publication of her recent book Taking the Stairs & Liking It: Seven Steps to an Amazing Life, which reflects on the experiences and perspectives that shape how individuals grow as leaders over time. The book explores the idea that meaningful leadership develops gradually through reflection, learning, and a willingness to adapt.

The Elfenworks Foundation and Educational Partnerships

Lauren later co-founded the Elfenworks Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to projects in education, social justice, and community leadership. The foundation has worked with universities, nonprofits, and community organizations to support initiatives that encourage learning, collaboration, and civic engagement.

Golden Gate University was one of those partners.

Through the Elfenworks Foundation, Lauren helped support a Poverty Law course at the Golden Gate University School of Law. The course examined how legal systems affect low-income communities and explored ways for future attorneys to address issues such as housing instability, workplace inequality, and access to justice.

The foundation also helped establish the Elfenworks Center for Employment Justice within the Women’s Employment Rights Clinic through a $500,000 grant. The initiative focused on legal services, education, and advocacy for domestic workers and caregivers who often face wage theft, discrimination, or unsafe working conditions. The clinic provided an important bridge between legal education and community service, where law students gained hands-on experience representing low-wage workers while providing legal assistance to members of the community.

 A Career Shaped by Purpose

Across her career, Lauren has focused on the relationship between leadership and service. Through her work in education, media, and philanthropy, she has consistently explored how organizations and individuals can contribute to the public good.

Golden Gate University was founded to serve students who want to apply what they learn directly to their professional lives. Lauren’s path – from doctoral student to social entrepreneur – illustrates how that kind of practical, career-focused education can shape a lifetime of leadership, innovation, and community engagement.