Lauren Sanchez

Congressional Intern, Presented by Walmart
Hometown: Huntington Park, California
School: University of California-San Diego
Major: Psychology
Placement: Office of Rep. Robert Garcia

Lauren was born and raised in a predominantly Hispanic community in Southeast Los Angeles, California. Growing up, she saw how limited access to healthcare, especially mental health services, impacted families in her community. These experiences sparked her interest in health equity and mental health care at an early age.

Lauren is a recent graduate from the University of California, San Diego, where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Clinical Psychology. During college, Lauren was an active member of her campus community, working as a Financial Aid Peer Advisor, where she helped students and families understand and navigate financial aid processes and navigate higher education resources. Through her work, Lauren has developed a deeper appreciation for education as a pathway to opportunity. She plans to pursue a Master’s in Nursing and eventually become a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, with the goal of combining direct patient care with advocacy for mental health resources.

As a CHCI Intern, Lauren hopes to gain more experience in public service and policy work to better understand how she can best support her community and others in healthcare access and mental health support.