Lauren Usher is VP of gBETA and Partner at gener8tor, overseeing the ~30 communities that the pre-accelerator operates in across the US. Lauren came to gener8tor after a decade of working in psychological research. A native of Miami, Florida, Lauren earned her BA in English and Psychology at Florida State University and both her Master’s and PhD in Developmental Psychology from the University of Miami. She moved to Madison, Wisconsin in 2016 and since then has been proud to be an ecosystem builder, connecting socially conscious startup founders and other changemakers with the resources they need to be successful. Lauren was selected as one of Wisconsin’s 46 Most Influential Latino Leaders in 2022 and one of Venture Capital Journal Venture Capital’s 2023 Rising Stars.