Lauren E. Scott

Executive Director

Lauren Scott is Executive Director of the Harris & Eliza Kempner Fund, a place-based family foundation in Galveston. A systems thinker and coalition builder, she aligns mission and values with strategy to advance a collaborative vision for the Island’s future—delivering outsized impact through trust-based philanthropy, innovative investments, and strong partnerships.  

Since joining the Fund in 2018, Lauren has led a multi-year organizational realignment, building the grantmaking strategy, governance practices, and infrastructure that guide the Fund’s long-term work. Her leadership is rooted in a systems-change approach that emphasizes values alignment, navigating complex relationships and institutions, and translating community voice and data into practical, real-world action. This approach positions the foundation as a steady, values-driven partner that carries forward the Kempner legacy through meaningful impact.

 Lauren brings 20 years of experience working across grassroots, regional, and national nonprofit and philanthropic efforts. In Galveston, she helped lead the collective impact effort that resulted in the launch of Vision Galveston and later served as its inaugural board chair, earning the organization’s first Visioneer Award. She holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Houston and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Texas Lutheran University.