Lauren Burgoyne Hollick
Founder, Executive Director & Chief Superhero
Founder, Executive Director & Chief Superhero
Lauren Burgoyne Hollick is the Founder, Executive Director, and Chief Superhero at The Greater Purpose Project nonprofit organization.
On Lauren's favorite days, you'll find her rocking a neon green tutu, a superhero cape, and sparkly sneakers. It's the uniform that she wears during #GPP school assemblies. Helping young people discover their talents and strengths (superpowers) of helping others, impacting their communities, and loving themselves is her passion.
How Lauren arrived at her passion is another story.
Lauren graduated with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Missouri and has worked as a broadcast journalist, executive producer, and professional writer. She is the former marketing director for the YMCA of Southern Arizona and is a Scottsdale Leadership Alumni. Lauren is a member of the Pima County Behavioral Health Coalition for Youth Mental Health.
A Wisconsin native, Lauren grew up in a family that instilled her love for volunteering and the Green Bay Packers at a very early age. Lauren vividly remembers serving food at Hesed House (a homeless shelter in Naperville, Illinois) and stocking the shelves with toiletry items. But the most meaningful part of these memories was sharing a meal with the individuals and families being served and listening to their stories. These profound experiences planted the seeds of #GPP long before it sprouted.
Prior to starting The Greater Purpose Project, Lauren was a television news reporter and anchor working at news affiliates across the U.S. As a journalist, Lauren's favorite stories were about real-life superheroes who transformed adversity into a Greater Purpose. In telling these stories, Lauren discovered a formula: pain produces purpose, and having purpose helps to heal the pain. This was undoubtedly true of Patrick Taylor, the original superhero who inspired The Greater Purpose Project documentary before it evolved into # GPP's Youth Heroes organization. (For Patrick's story, click here.)
As Lauren told stories about these inspiring individuals, she discovered a new league of superheroes: our youth! Throughout most of Lauren's professional career, she had a side hustle, working as a nanny and a respite care provider for children with special needs. While caring for children, Lauren witnessed how inherently creative, altruistic, fearless, kind, and profoundly amazing they are—not to mention hilarious!
Lauren observed a need in schools to provide young people with the opportunity to channel their greatness while discovering their worth and value through service projects especially during the height of the youth mental health crisis. Helping young people discover why they matter is one of Lauren's superpowers. Lauren knew her dream of starting The Greater Purpose Project was beyond anything she could hope to do on her own. She recruited a dynamic team of caring, compassionate individuals who believed in the mission and tirelessly worked to get #GPP off the ground. Since day one, #GPP has been dedicated to ensuring all individuals no matter their age, background or any adversity they have endured have the opportunity to experience the life-changing benefits of giving back.
Lauren credits #GPP's success to her incredible team (I love you guys), our community of supporters, #GPP youth participants, and her beloved husband, Glen (AKA Batman). When Lauren recharges her superpowers, you'll find her hiking, baking, hanging with her pups (Holly and Blaze), writing, and planning her next trip to visit friends and family!
On Lauren's favorite days, you'll find her rocking a neon green tutu, a superhero cape, and sparkly sneakers. It's the uniform that she wears during #GPP school assemblies. Helping young people discover their talents and strengths (superpowers) of helping others, impacting their communities, and loving themselves is her passion.
How Lauren arrived at her passion is another story.
Lauren graduated with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Missouri and has worked as a broadcast journalist, executive producer, and professional writer. She is the former marketing director for the YMCA of Southern Arizona and is a Scottsdale Leadership Alumni. Lauren is a member of the Pima County Behavioral Health Coalition for Youth Mental Health.
A Wisconsin native, Lauren grew up in a family that instilled her love for volunteering and the Green Bay Packers at a very early age. Lauren vividly remembers serving food at Hesed House (a homeless shelter in Naperville, Illinois) and stocking the shelves with toiletry items. But the most meaningful part of these memories was sharing a meal with the individuals and families being served and listening to their stories. These profound experiences planted the seeds of #GPP long before it sprouted.
Prior to starting The Greater Purpose Project, Lauren was a television news reporter and anchor working at news affiliates across the U.S. As a journalist, Lauren's favorite stories were about real-life superheroes who transformed adversity into a Greater Purpose. In telling these stories, Lauren discovered a formula: pain produces purpose, and having purpose helps to heal the pain. This was undoubtedly true of Patrick Taylor, the original superhero who inspired The Greater Purpose Project documentary before it evolved into # GPP's Youth Heroes organization. (For Patrick's story, click here.)
As Lauren told stories about these inspiring individuals, she discovered a new league of superheroes: our youth! Throughout most of Lauren's professional career, she had a side hustle, working as a nanny and a respite care provider for children with special needs. While caring for children, Lauren witnessed how inherently creative, altruistic, fearless, kind, and profoundly amazing they are—not to mention hilarious!
Lauren observed a need in schools to provide young people with the opportunity to channel their greatness while discovering their worth and value through service projects especially during the height of the youth mental health crisis. Helping young people discover why they matter is one of Lauren's superpowers. Lauren knew her dream of starting The Greater Purpose Project was beyond anything she could hope to do on her own. She recruited a dynamic team of caring, compassionate individuals who believed in the mission and tirelessly worked to get #GPP off the ground. Since day one, #GPP has been dedicated to ensuring all individuals no matter their age, background or any adversity they have endured have the opportunity to experience the life-changing benefits of giving back.
Lauren credits #GPP's success to her incredible team (I love you guys), our community of supporters, #GPP youth participants, and her beloved husband, Glen (AKA Batman). When Lauren recharges her superpowers, you'll find her hiking, baking, hanging with her pups (Holly and Blaze), writing, and planning her next trip to visit friends and family!