Lauren Dunn
Chief People Officer
Lauren is a visionary Chief People Officer who believes sustainable performance lives at the intersection of accountability, growth, and wellbeing. She brings a strategic, people-first mindset to organizational leadership, designing cultures where individuals are challenged to perform at a high level while feeling supported, valued, and empowered to thrive.
At Wiss, Lauren leads the People Operations function, shaping firmwide strategy across total rewards and benefits, compliance, talent acquisition, leadership and performance development, and employee experience. She partners closely with executive leadership to foster a culture rooted in engagement, resilience, and continuous growth — recognizing that personal development and wellness are critical drivers of long-term business success. Her work ensures people strategy directly influences organizational performance and firmwide impact.
In addition to her internal leadership role, Lauren brings deep HR advisory experience, partnering with companies of 30 to 800 employees across commercial real estate, construction, restaurants and hospitality, and professional services. She delivers tailored solutions spanning benefits and compliance, HR audits, process and technology review, employee handbook development, open enrollment support, and communication strategy — aligning people practices with business objectives to drive measurable results.
Education and Certifications
BS – Business Management; Human Resources & Organizational Structure / Minor; Spanish Language & Literature
The Pennsylvania State University, University Park
SHRM-SCP, Senior Certified Professional
RYT-200
Psychology of Leadership, Cornell University
Prosci Certified Change Practitioner
TAIS Practitioner
Professional Affiliations
Society for Human Resources Management
New Jersey HR Council
Boston HR Council
Yoga Alliance
Accomplishments
Lauren has been recognized nationally for her contributions to people leadership and workplace culture. She was named a Top Woman in HR by Ragan Communications in 2025 for Workplace Culture Leadership and again in 2026 in the Chief People Officer category, reflecting her strategic influence and commitment to building high-performing, people-centered organizations. She was also recognized as one of COLOR Magazine’s Most Influential Women, earning a place on the POWERLIST for her impact on the HR profession and inclusive workplace practices. Lauren is an active voice in the HR community and has been featured on the following podcasts: Leading Minds Revealed, Fearless Female Leadership, WHY People, a Boston HR Council production and the Powerful Women interview series. Outside of her professional accomplishments, Lauren is most proud of being a mother to her two sons. Earlier in her career, she performed Off-Broadway as a professional tap dancer — an experience that continues to shape her discipline, creativity, and leadership presence.
Beyond Wiss
Being entrepreneurial and fascinated by organizational psychology, Lauren enjoys the “How I Built This” podcast, “The Dave Chang Show”, “Work Life” with Adam Grant, and “Hidden Brain”. HR Pod favorites include “The Modern People Leader” and “Why People”.
Lauren enjoys spending quality time with her sons, Gavin and Nate, and her husband, Bob. She spends the fall season rooting for the Penn State Nittany Lions football team, WE ARE!
Lauren also loves her Peloton, is an avid yoga practitioner, and enjoys giving time to charitable organizations.
Fun Facts
What’s something intriguing that most people wouldn’t know about you?
I do NOT cook! I had managed to work in restaurants most of my life, so had been “catered to” onsite. Thankfully, my husband, who is in finance and accounting, happens to be an incredible cook!
