Bio
Dr. Lauren Bairnsfather is the founder and principal of LAB Historical Consulting, a woman-owned business that works with organizations to use knowledge of the past to reshape approaches to the present and the future. She served as Executive Director of the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh from 2015 to February 2023 and was an early leader in the effort to rebuild the Tree of Life after the deadliest antisemitic attack in US History. During her tenure the Holocaust Center extended its reach from a regional focus to an international audience, drawing more than one hundred thousand guests to exhibits and programs. She has brought innovation to Holocaust education, defining its potential to address present day antisemitism, racism, and identity-based violence. Dr. Bairnsfather began her career in the Photo Archives of the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, going on to earn an MA at the University of Chicago and a PhD at the University of Texas, including an intervening stint with Spertus Museum in Chicago. Bairnsfather serves on the boards of the Association of Holocaust Organizations, the Council of American Jewish Museums, and on the education committee of the Eradicate Hate Global Summit. She has been invited to give lectures across the country about Jewish History, Holocaust remembrance, and building resilient communities.
Areas of expertise
- Antisemitism Awareness
- Holocaust Remembrance
- Jewish Diaspora and Diversity
- History of the British Empire
Lauren’s Histories in Progress modules
- Module 1: Histories and Ideologies of Antisemitism
- Module 2: Global Jewish Diversity
- Module 3: The Holocaust
Watch a teaser of Lauren’s modules below
Lauren’s Community of Interest sessions
- Definitions and Resources for Addressing Antisemitism
- Blood Libel: Origins and Present Day Manifestations of a Centuries-Old Myth
- Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoah): Remnants of Resistance in the Warsaw Ghetto
- Dialoguing across Difference
- The Jewish Diaspora
Lauren’s public events at UC Santa Cruz
Panel Discussion: Neglected Histories of the Holocaust: Jewish-Muslim Cooperation and Rescue
Monday, May 19, 2025
Cowell Ranch Historic Hay Barn
Film Screening and Panel Discussion: Repairing the World: Stories from the Tree of Life
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Rio Theatre
