Based in Miami, Lauren E. Smith is Managing Partner and Co-Head, Board Practice, Diversified Search Group. She was named to the 2022 National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Director 100 as a top governance professional in the country. Deeply committed to strong corporate governance and board composition, she is the current Chair Governance and past President of the NACD Florida Chapter. She is an NACD Board Leadership Fellow and an NACD Certified Director.

She started her search career in 2000 with Egon Zehnder where she helped design and execute the firm’s first board assessments. She has had a passion for creating value-added boards with multi-dimensional diversity for over two decades. She has a proven track record of partnering with clients to recruit standout board members who bring the unique skills and perspectives to make a difference in the boardroom. Lauren has placed board members at clients such as International Paper, John Hancock, Jacobs Engineering, Leggett & Platt, Urban Outfitters, Wiley & Wynn Resorts.

Before moving into executive search, Lauren had twelve years of experience leading marketing and strategy at two Fortune 50 companies – Westinghouse Electric Corporation and Motorola Inc. During her time at Motorola, she also led marketing and customer operations for a new wireless joint venture in Bogotá, Colombia.

Lauren is a board member of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and sits on the Advisory Board of Women Executive Leadership. She previously served on the board and chaired the Board Development Committee of the American Red Cross South Florida Chapter. She is an active member of Women Corporate Directors and the Belizean Grove.

Lauren has been quoted as an expert on executive and board recruiting in Directors & Boards, NACD Directorship, Entrepreneur Magazine, American Way Magazine, and the Miami Herald. She frequently speaks on board composition and refreshment. Lauren was named by South Florida Business Journal as a Most Influential Businesswoman.

Lauren has lived and worked in Europe and Latin America and is fluent in Spanish. She has a BS from Pennsylvania State University and an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management.