Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Noel
Hi Lauren, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born in Tinton Falls, New Jersey, and moved to Bel Air, Harford County in 2009 due to my mother’s job relocation. I come from a military family, with a brother who has served as a Marine for over 20 years, and a bread-winning mother who worked for the Department of Defense for over 40 years. I later attended the University of Maryland in College Park, earning a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science in 2016. I wanted to be a veterinarian, but as career aspirations changed, I continued my education at Towson University, obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2021.
In June 2020, my husband, Nick, and I purchased our first home in Parkville, and I became a proud resident of Baltimore County. I have a 16 month-old son, Connor, and am due to have our second baby within the next few weeks. We also have two wonderful cats: Eggnog and Louie.
Although I am currently on maternity leave, I am a registered nurse and I typically work through an agency on contracts with hospitals in Baltimore City by providing inpatient nursing care to pre-operative and post-operative patients who receive cardiac surgery. I started my journey as a health care worker during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (April 2020), where I worked at the Baltimore Convention Center’s COVID Field Hospital. As a health care worker, I experience firsthand the issues and disparities that negatively impact health care workers and their patients; this is the catalyst for what got me interested in politics, advocacy, and policy.
I started my journey in politics by managing a Democratic congressional campaign for MD-01 in 2020 and later went on to manage a campaign for a Maryland State Senate candidate. I was driven to enter the political field by my pursuit for taking action to enact better health care policies. I quickly learned that all politics is local, and I became a member of the North Baltimore County Democratic Club (NBCDC). I am the current President and have served in the role since January 2022. Through my time with the NBCDC, I helped organize philanthropy opportunities for local organizations (cleaning up local nature trails, collecting food for local food banks, and gathering school supplies for Baltimore County children through local non-profits), got the club chartered with the state party, organize social events for members (annual Pride Picnic and Winter Socials), and most importantly, interact and work with elected officials and legislators to promote transparency about government with the community and to encourage community input into the legislative process. I also serve as a member of the Baltimore County Democratic State Central Committee (since 2022), where I currently serve as the 2nd Vice Chair. Through my time on the BCDSCC, I work on the Communications Committee and Party Building Committee. I assist in managing the social media accounts and creating content, and I work with fellow members to help build the party through attending events, knocking on doors, and mobilizing voters during election years. I also serve as the Political Director for the Baltimore County Young Democrats where I work to encourage young Democrats to be more engaged with government and the legislative process by fostering relationships with elected officials and legislators and teaching members how to get involved in government.
In 2024, I worked for Maryland Senator Shelly Hettleman as her Social Media Coordinator where I managed her social media accounts, created content, and encouraged constituent engagement and transparency. I am a proud graduate and alumni of Emerge Maryland’s 2024 Candidate Training Program, where I learned more about how to operate and manage a political campaign, and learned to navigate the obstacles that women specifically face as political candidates. In addition, I also assist with communications for the Baltimore County Democratic Women, an organization with the mission of advocating for womens’ issues. During election season, I volunteered my time to wave signs, knock doors, and write postcards in support of political candidates; I even brought my son, who was less than a year old, to knock doors with me!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
As someone who never attended school for political science, I had to learn how to navigate the political arena “on-the-job”. Coming from a healthcare background, learning the ins and outs of local politics was very different from what I was accustomed to, but the process and challenges only invigorated my passion for government, advocacy, and policy. This allows me to connect more authentically with others, prioritize practical solutions, and bring the voices of often overlooked communities to the table. As a young female entering the political field, which tends to skew older and more male dominated, I faced imposter syndrome; I did not believe that I belonged in the spaces with legislators, campaign staff, or political organizers. Thanks to great female mentors, I was able to move past the imposter syndrome and utilize my strengths and differences to make positive impacts in political organizing. Women belong in these spaces, and it is important to have representation for young women and the LGBTQ+ communities.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a registered nurse, and I work in the specialty of cardiac surgery– I provide inpatient nursing care to pre-operative and post-operative patients who undergo cardiac surgery, often referred to as open heart surgery (heart transplants, coronary artery bypasses, cardiac valve replacements, etc.). Being a bedside nurse is not easy, and most days are exhausting both mentally and physically. I work 12 hour shifts (often longer) where I fully set aside my personal life to prioritize and care for patients. I have felt the cracking of patients’ ribs while performing CPR. I have seen patients pass away, despite exhausting all efforts to save them. I have also seen patients discharge home after getting a heart transplant and a new chance at life. Nursing provides a different perspective on life, and I am so proud to be able to care for patients at their most vulnerable, and have the privilege and honor of helping them through their toughest times in life.
I am most proud of not just talking the talk, but walking the walk. It is one thing to witness and identify problems within the healthcare system, but it takes effort and drive to do something about solving those problems. I am most proud to be able to provide safe and high-quality nursing care to my patients to help facilitate a positive hospital experience and recovery. I am proud to be taking action in the political arena to help solve problems in the healthcare system. Through my advocacy efforts in Annapolis, I have worked to represent the voices of nurses and healthcare workers, striving to address systemic challenges and improve outcomes for both patients and providers.
What sets me apart from others in my field is that I am able to identify areas for improvement in the healthcare system, and translate those problems into actionable legislative policy and work with legislators to help fix those issues. As a registered nurse, I bear witness to the disparities in the healthcare system, and I am in a position to do something about it. I can marry the experience of a healthcare worker with my experience in political organizing to impact tangible change through political advocacy and policy.
Any big plans?
Over the years, my passion and goals have blossomed: 1) I want to make a positive impact on health care policy to facilitate healthcare that is safer, more accessible, and more affordable for everyone. 2) As an LGBTQ+ woman, I believe in supporting and advocating for more LGBTQ+ and womens’ voices to be at the table when it comes to policy and decision making. In the future, I hope to run for office and become elected to the Maryland General Assembly so that I can help enact legislation to make healthcare more accessible, affordable, and safer for patients and health care workers. I also plan to advance my nursing career by attending school to become a nurse practitioner.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lauren-noel.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noel4maryland
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurennoel4maryland
