Lauren (Laurie) B. Dachs is head of the Laural Foundation, reflecting her interest and focus on addressing California’s most pressing environmental issues. Prior to leading the Laural Foundation, Lauren was president and vice chair of the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation from 1996 until December 2020 when it completed its planned spend down. In addition to serving on Water Foundation’s board of directors, Lauren is currently on the advisory council to PPIC Water Policy Center. Previously, she has served on the board of directors of the Land Trust Alliance and on the advisory council of Stanford’s Woods Institute for the Environment.
Lauren has long experience as an advisor or board member for many environmental, education, and health organizations. Previously, she has served and advised Stanford University, The Nature Conservancy in California, Children’s Hospital and Research Center in Oakland, Head-Royce School, The Thacher School, Lawrence Hall of Science, and the Center for Underrepresented Students in the College of Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. She is also a founder of The Lake School, a nonprofit preschool located in Oakland. Lauren holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from Stanford University and she is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.