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Everyday environments shape who participates, who belongs, and who thrives.
Dr. Lauren McNamara’s work is grounded in the understanding that environments are never neutral. The policies, spaces, schedules, norms, and everyday conditions surrounding children and communities shape who participates, who feels they belong, how people engage, and how development unfolds over time.
Widely recognized for her award-winning work advancing research, policy, and systems change in recess and schoolyard design, she collaborates with organizations across education, health, recreation, and public life to create more inclusive, engaging, and meaningful environments for children and communities.
Through speaking, advising, research, and collaborative design, Lauren brings together evidence, lived experience, and powerful storytelling to help people understand complex challenges in more human, hopeful, and actionable ways.
Core Questions Driving the Work
How do everyday environments shape belonging and participation?
What conditions support meaningful engagement and human development?
How do policies, design, and organizational norms influence experience?
What becomes possible when schools and public spaces are reimagined through a developmental lens?
More About Dr. Lauren McNamara
Dr. Lauren McNamara is a consultant, researcher, Ashoka Fellow, and systems thinker. Her research and writing have appeared in academic journals, professional publications, policy statements, and national conversations related to child development, education, inclusion, health, and well-being.
She holds a PhD in Educational Psychology from Simon Fraser University and an MS in Learning Sciences from Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy. As part of her broader research on school climate, belonging, social inclusion, and child well-being, Lauren founded Schoolyards For Thought and Recess Project Canada to explore how everyday school environments shape children’s social experiences, participation, and well-being.
With more than 25 years of experience in higher education, research, and interdisciplinary collaboration, Dr. Lauren McNamara is widely recognized for her ability to translate complex ideas into meaningful and actionable insights. She has collaborated with local, national, and international organizations across education, health, research, recreation, museums, accessibility, and community sectors on initiatives related to belonging, accessibility, mental health, child development, well-being, and the everyday environments shaping children’s lives.
Current Areas Of Work
Schoolyards and Recess • Everyday Environments • Inclusive Design & Participation • Human Development • Systems Change & Organizational Practice • Sport, Recreation, & Play • Public Space, Childhood & Community Life