Lauren Beatty

Lauren is an Explorer Chick Guide, with a passion for adventure ‘in the great wide somewhere’. Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, Lauren has also lived in Georgia, Louisiana, and Kentucky- she loves exploring new places and meeting new people! Lauren graduated from Georgia State University with her degree in Anthropology, working in museums before switching gears to focus on environmental education and conservation initiatives in zoos and aquariums. When not working with animals (her favorites are the penguins), she spends most of her time playing outside, hiking, camping, backpacking, and running. Some of her favorite adventures include running 16 miles through Great Smoky Mountains National Park; swimming with whale sharks; hiking Badlands, Arches, Yellowstone, and Great Sand Dunes National Parks; whitewater rafting in West Virginia, snorkeling with manatees in Crystal River Springs, and visiting every tourist trap along the way (her favorite is The Corn Palace!).