She never set out to build a career in the systems integration industry. Like so many others, Lauren Simmen found her way in by sheer chance, looking for work after graduating from college.
She landed a role at one of the only tech-focused PR agencies in her home state of Rhode Island. What began as a practical step into the world of work quickly became something much more.
“Within a short time, I knew this industry was home for me,” Simmen says.
Nearly two decades later, she’s head of product marketing for Jabra’s Video Business Unit and wrapping up her final year as the president of the NSCA Education Foundation Board of Directors.
Finding Her Way to the NSCA Education Foundation
Her path to the NSCA Education Foundation, she says, came down to “pure luck.”
When her former boss, who was a board member at the time, moved on, he encouraged her to take his seat. Before saying yes, she called Chuck Wilson, who then served as NSCA’s executive director. She wanted to learn more about the Foundation, its mission, and its role within the industry.
“What excited me to get involved was the chance to give back not just as a manufacturer but to the industry as a whole,” she explains.
What kept her involved was the people. “The connections I’ve made have been phenomenal,” she explains. “People like John Greene were mentors not only to me but also to the entire industry. That willingness to help and genuinely invest in others is something truly special.”
This experience gave her the confidence and perspective to do the same for others, creating what she calls a “cycle” where knowledge, encouragement, and opportunity are passed along. Now, she’s on the giving end of it.
Building the Industry’s Next Generation
Building the Industry’s Next Generation
This cycle of mentorship is, in many ways, what the NSCA Education Foundation mission is all about.
“At its core, the Foundation raises awareness and fills gaps, especially the skills and labor shortage our industry faces,” Simmen says. “We focus on training people who are already here, but what really makes us unique is the effort to bring new people into the industry who may never have known this career path existed.”
Programs like Ignite, scholarships for events like the Business & Leadership Conference (BLC) and the Excellence in Business Operations (XBO) Experience, and ongoing workforce development initiatives support career growth at every stage.
“We’re not just bringing people in or focusing solely on leadership at the end of someone’s career,” she says. “We’re supporting individuals from awareness all the way through to their retirement. That kind of full-circle thinking is rare and incredibly needed.”
Serving on the NSCA Education Foundation Board during periods of uncertainty, including the COVID-19 years, showed her something else, too: how vital the organization is to the industry’s future. She watched it shift from simply offering programs to actively empowering companies by giving them tools they can tailor to their own needs.
“Helping companies succeed on their terms has been one of the most exciting evolutions to be part of,” she describes.
The Case for Getting Involved
Her advice for anyone on the fence about joining NSCA or engaging with the Foundation is simple: Look closer. “Talk to our members. Ask how it’s helped their business,” she advises.
As for what she’d personally thank NSCA and the Foundation for, she doesn’t hesitate. “The mentorship. The camaraderie. The long-standing relationships,” she says. “They’ve helped me professionally, but they’ve also shaped me as a person.”
