Executive Director, Founder & Cellist

Lauren Latessa, Iris Music Project cellist & founder, has dedicated her career to exploring the ways music can infuse and transform communities.  Her innovative work as the Manager of Music Enrichment at the Charles E. Smith Life Communities (CESLC), where she worked from 2015-2019, earned her awards and recognition from the Tarisio Trust, the Association of Jewish Aging Services and the National Arts Strategies. Lauren holds degrees from Peabody Conservatory, Johns Hopkins University & Northwestern University. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Johns Hopkins University.