Lauren M. Jackson is a visionary leader and the Founder and CEO of SubSpark, a B2B SaaS platform designed to streamline substitute teacher management for school administrators and teachers. Lauren’s journey into the world of business and entrepreneurship began as an Spanish-language educator in the classrooms of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School in Houston (Pre-K through 5th) and Jesuit College Preparatory School and Skyline High School of Dallas. As an educator, Lauren yielded her adaptable nature and passion for education to successfully innovate curriculums and integrate new technology into language learning – resulting in significant improvements in student engagement and learning outcomes. Her extensive work developing, executing, and leading educational initiatives are what ultimately led Lauren to identify a major operational gap in schools: the ability to efficiently book and manage substitute teachers. Lauren’s deep understanding of this problem motivated her to pursue a full-time degree at Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business where she is expected to graduate in May 2025. Without skipping a beat, Lauren has applied the same energy she had as an educator to her time as an MBA student at Rice: serving as a Business Communications Fellow, participating in the Doerr Institute's Leader as a Coach program, a Lilie Lab Launchpad Entrepreneurship Venture participant, the External Relations Chair for the Rice Business Women’s Organization, and a member of the Entrepreneurship and Consulting Organizations. Lauren also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from The University of Texas. When she isn’t at school or running SubSpark, Lauren is a dedicated mother and an avid explorer of cultures and cuisines. She enjoys trying new restaurants, traveling, and spending quality time with her three daughters.