Lauren Jones is a wife, mother of four, and a say-it-out-loud kind of woman.

As a mother who experienced severe postpartum depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, and suicidal thought patterns during her first pregnancy/birth; Lauren was eager to be proactive in finding relatable resources when she learned of her second pregnancy in 2017. Astonished that in the nearly 13 years between her childbirths, the State of Mississippi still had no resources widely known, if any, to help mothers and families facing the challenges of maternal-related mental health disorders.

In 2017, Lauren co-founded the nonprofit, community-based organization, Mom.ME, alongside her sister Lashay Melton. Designed as a peer-led organization, Mom.ME. would always at its core provide authentic and genuine levels of care and understanding. Under Lauren’s leadership as the Executive Director, Mom.ME. has provided over 1000 families and individuals with sponsored therapeutic services, peer mentorships, as well as sponsor provider certification trainings to increase the number of quality and culturally competent resources available throughout the State of MS. Lauren has been deemed a subject matter expert by peers, giving countless lectures on a variety of topics ranging in discussions on maternal mental illnesses to peer support models of care.

Before founding Mom.ME., Lauren was a successful Sr. Asset Manager directly overseeing a portfolio of mixed development projects totaling $26.5M while simultaneously excelling as a realtor for one of the South’s leading brokerages.

In addition to her role as Executive Director, Lauren lends her time and expertise by serving as a member of the Mississippi Mortality Review Committee and the Mississippi Perinatal Quality Collaborative. She has also served on the board of directors of the Ronald McDonald House of MS…a designation she holds dear and personal. In 2021, Lauren’s eldest and only daughter was stricken with childhood cancer at the tender age of 16. The next 6-12 months would entail countless hospitalizations, doctor’s appointments, examinations, and chemotherapy. Feeling almost void of emotions and stuck in a constant state of doing, she now sees and understands mental health challenges from an entirely different perspective and has developed mental health programs for mothers and families of children with special needs.

Lauren attributes her successes and blessings in life to her willingness to help others and her candidness to always show up authentically.

Lauren enjoys traveling in her spare time and worshiping at Miracle Temple Church of Deliverance in Jackson, MS with her family: husband- Devin and children- Lyric, Jay, Nic, and Seven.