Lauren Schuster, Esq.

Lauren Schuster serves as Chief External Affairs Officer at Urban Resource Institute (URI), the nation’s largest provider of domestic violence shelter services and a leading provider of housing and support for families experiencing homelessness. She oversees Government Affairs, Development, and Marketing & Communications, guiding URI’s external strategy to ensure its policy leadership, fundraising growth, and brand voice remain aligned and mission-driven.

Since joining URI in 2022, Lauren has led the organization’s Government Affairs strategy, strengthening partnerships across city, state, and federal government and advancing policies that remove barriers for survivors and families. Her leadership has helped position URI as a trusted voice at the intersection of domestic violence, housing instability, and economic justice.

Under her leadership, URI supported the launch of New York City’s first pet-inclusive shelter for homeless families and helped advance New York State’s landmark coerced debt legislation, enabling survivors of domestic violence to challenge debts incurred through abuse and rebuild financial stability.

Prior to joining URI, Lauren served for more than 11 years as Chief of Staff to Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal (D/WF-Manhattan), where she was instrumental in drafting and advancing more than 100 pieces of legislation into law. She managed a high-performing legislative and community team, built bipartisan coalitions, and developed deep expertise in the state budget and regulatory processes.

Earlier in her career, Lauren worked at the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) in multiple roles, including Staff Attorney, Environmental Campaign Coordinator, and Voting Empowerment Project Coordinator.

Lauren is passionate about housing justice, harm reduction, racial and gender equity, and animal welfare. She earned her Juris Doctor from St. John’s University School of Law and graduated cum laude from New York University with a BA in Political Science. A New York City native, she lives in Staten Island with her spouse, Jeremiah, their daughter Vivian, and their two cats.