Lauren Morton is a leader at the nexus of science, technology, and business. As VP of Business Operations at Science Exchange, she drives initiatives and manages company operations, leveraging her expertise in project management and problem solving to advance the company’s mission of accelerating scientific breakthroughs through collaboration. Previously, she excelled at Deloitte, managing strategy and business transformation for life science clients. Lauren holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Northeastern University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Committed to community engagement, she mentors engineering students and promotes STEM education.
Recently, in an exclusive interview with CXO Outlook Magazine, Lauren shared her professional trajectory, insights on diversity and inclusion, the secret sauce behind her success, her favorite quote, future plans, sage advice, and much more. The following excerpts are taken from the interview.
Hi Lauren. Please tell us about your background and areas of expertise.
If you ask my friends, peers, or colleagues, they’ll call me an operations wizard. I thrive on investigating issues, fixing them, and seeing results. I hold a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from Northeastern University, which launched my career as a Quality Engineer. I also earned an MBA from Harvard Business School to enhance my skill set further.
My career journey started at Deloitte, where I worked as a management consultant and helped clients in the life sciences sector with strategy and operations. Later, I transitioned to Science Exchange, where I worked in Business Development before becoming an Operations Leader. Presently, I lead a team of ten employees responsible for overseeing various operations, including customer implementations, support, AP/AR, supplier qualification, and revenue operations.
Overall, my work experience at Science Exchange and beyond has taught me the importance of practical problem-solving, attention to detail, and team collaboration in driving operational excellence. I look forward to continuing to apply these skills in my work.
What do you love the most about your current role?
In my current role, I oversee a wide range of operational aspects of our company, presenting me with diverse challenges and opportunities daily. As a problem solver by nature, I find the dynamic nature of my work both exhilarating and high-pressure, knowing that many rely on me to identify solutions and drive improvements. I love the challenge, and I love my team. The challenge of the role truly inspires me, as does the exceptional team I work alongside. Each day, my team demonstrates incredible resilience and resourcefulness, and I am grateful to play a part in supporting their success.
In addition, our company mission serves as a constant motivation for me. The ability to contribute towards helping scientists streamline their processes, ultimately accelerating the development of life-saving therapies for patients, is a cause that I find deeply fulfilling and meaningful.
What are the three major trends do you foresee in your industry in the next 12 months?
Of course, everyone answering this question would say something about AI disrupting Operations within the SaaS industry. Still, I’ve always struggled to understand what this means at a tactical level beyond proof-of-concept demos and high-level claims.
In my view, AI’s impact unfolds in three stages as companies learn to integrate this technology effectively into their daily business lives.
Firstly, AI helps streamline existing processes, allowing companies to maintain current quality levels more efficiently. This efficiency gain can free up resources for value-added projects that were previously deprioritized.
Secondly, companies can use AI to improve the quality of their team output. For example, AI can customize real-time responses to technical support tickets, making them more precise and relevant than generic replies.
Finally, AI can predict and address issues before they arise, ultimately reducing the volume of support tickets.
Over time, AI will enable SaaS operations to become more efficient and effective, but I think we still have a long way to go before these solutions are truly plug-and-play.
What are your thoughts on diversity and inclusion in your field? How important is it to have authentic conversations with leaders, professionals, and changemakers to create more acceptance across the globe?
I believe many companies miss the mark when it comes to promoting diversity and inclusion, often focusing on meeting quotas rather than truly embracing the initiative. True diversity goes beyond just filling roles; it brings a wealth of different thoughts, perspectives, experiences, and ideas to the table. These diverse viewpoints are invaluable and often overlooked in many diversity programs.
I cherish my team’s diverse perspectives, as their unique backgrounds, cultures, and visions lead to innovative ideas that significantly enhance our business. It’s important to highlight specific examples of how these principles have transformed projects, initiatives, or the overall culture. Sharing these stories can spark meaningful conversations with other leaders and inspire them to pursue genuine diversity and inclusion in their organizations.
You were recently recognized as one of the Top 50 Women Leaders of Massachusetts for 2024. Our readers would love to know the secret sauce behind your success.
I’ve been fortunate to have an incredible support system of family, friends, colleagues, peers, and classmates who have contributed to my achievements. I’ve been blessed to work for outstanding companies and study at top-tier schools—a privilege I don’t take for granted.
Since becoming a manager a few years ago, I’ve embraced the philosophy of servant leadership. My primary goal is to empower my team, remove blockers, and provide them with the necessary tools for success. I firmly believe that my success is intertwined with the success of my team.
If you could have a one-hour meeting with someone famous who is alive, who would it be and why?
Kathy Giusti stands out for me among the many inspiring leaders out there. As the co-founder of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, her work has been incredibly impactful. I had the opportunity to support her tangentially during an independent project in my second year at HBS for the Kraft Precision Medicine Accelerator, which she co-chairs.
Although I never had a one-hour meeting with her, I would love to ask her how she found motivation during the most challenging time of her life and how she has inspired so many while battling her own illness. Her resilience and leadership are truly remarkable and serve as the best example of leadership I can point to.
Is there a particular person you are grateful for who helped get you to where you are?
It’s impossible to pick just one person to be grateful for, but I would like to extend a special thank you to Rachelle Reisberg, now the Assistant Dean in the College of Science at Northeastern University. She has been instrumental in making every woman studying engineering believe in their potential to achieve their goals. Her ongoing efforts to cultivate a community of women mentors in STEM have empowered me, my peers, and many future women leaders.
How do you keep your mind healthy and stay resilient? And how do you motivate your team?
Almost everyone who knows me could answer this for me—my daily regimen involves workouts on my Peloton. I start each day with an hour on the Peloton bike or mat, which gives me a sense of accomplishment before the workday begins. Exercise is crucial for physical and mental health, and it’s my most effective recharge.
I motivate my team by emphasizing our sense of togetherness. When they face questions, challenges, or struggles, I remind them that we’re a team, and I’m always there to help. No one is alone, and asking for help is always encouraged.
What is your favorite quote?
Although it’s not from a renowned or famous person, my favorite quote comes from Game of Thrones: “When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives.” It’s simple, accurate, and applicable to all aspects of life. Leaders who think they can do everything themselves and better than everyone else will ultimately fail. True leaders have a vision but understand that they need others to help bring it to life. Building a trusted team of people who will support you is critical to becoming a successful, long-term leader.
Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
I struggle with these types of questions because I like to think I’d jump at any unexpected opportunities that come my way. However, my general career goal is to earn a COO title. To achieve this, I’m focusing on closing critical knowledge gaps needed for that role. Recently, I took ownership of billing support operations for our platform. I hope that opportunities like these continue to arise, helping me build the confidence and skills necessary to feel deserving of that title.
What advice would you give to anyone starting out on their career in your industry?
Reflecting on the past 12 years of my career, I can offer some general advice. Embrace situations where you find yourself in a job you don’t enjoy. These experiences can benefit your long-term career happiness more than being in a job you feel just okay in. They provide the motivation and opportunity to work to make a change.
To evaluate your current role, write out the tasks you enjoy doing, the ones you dread, and the ones you wish you were doing more of. This will help you identify whether you can shift the balance of those tasks within your current role or if it’s time to seek out a new role that better aligns with your interests. This proactive approach can lead to greater job satisfaction and career fulfillment.