Lauren Aguayo
Tucson
Summary
Undergraduate anthropology student with international experience in community-based sustainability, alternative development projects, and qualitative research. Experienced in supporting academic research, conducting literature review and qualitative analysis, and engaging thoughtfully in collaborative research and community settings. I bring hands-on experience from eco-communities, sustainable agriculture, and local food systems, alongside strong communication, organizational, and independent work skills. I'm highly motivated by intercultural learning, resilience-focused research, and applying social science perspectives to real-world environmental and social challenges.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Volunteer Member
National Charity League
- Participated in community service projects and leadership councils
Food Production / Farmer Market Booth Manager
Desert Forager
04.2025 - Current
- Independently manage weekly farmers’ market operations at the Rillito Farmers Market, including setup, sales, inventory, and customer engagement
- Communicate the cultural, ecological, and fermentation practices behind traditional drinks and desert-adapted ingredients to diverse community members
- Represent the business independently at market, demonstrating strong organizational skills, accountability, and public-facing communication
- Produce native Mexican fermented beverages, including tepache, and products made from locally foraged prickly pear
- Forage prickly pear locally and contribute to sustainable, place-based food production rooted in regional ecological knowledge
WWOOF Volunteer
Can Decreix Eco-Community
07.2025 - 08.2025
- Engaged in daily communal decision-making processes, gaining exposure to non-hierarchical and consensus-based organizational structures
- Participated in a post-capitalist, degrowth-oriented eco-community focused on alternative economic models, collective governance, and ecological resilience
- Contributed to sustainable food systems and low-impact living practices that support self-sufficiency
- Developed cross-cultural communication skills while living and working in an international, multilingual community
- Gained experiential insight into responses to ecological, economic, and social crises
WWOOF Volunteer
La Borie Nobel
06.2025 - 06.2025
- Lived and worked in a Gandhian-inspired non-violence commune emphasizing participatory self-governance, communal decision-making, and collective responsibility in daily life.
- Practiced and reflected on principles of non-violent communication, shared autonomy, and consensus-based social organization within a diverse, multicultural community.
- Contributed to ecologically regenerative work, including organic gardening, permaculture, animal care, food production, and rural maintenance, within an experiential framework of sustainability.
- Developed strong cross-cultural communication and community engagement skills while co-living with volunteers and members from diverse backgrounds.
Research Assistant
Professor Linda Green
05.2025 - 06.2025
- Supported academic research on exploitation, contributing to background research for a scholarly journal article
- Conducted literature review and source synthesis across anthropological and sociological texts
- Gained experience working within an academic research workflow and faculty-led publication process
Intern
Agriturismo Internship
06.2024 - 08.2024
- Lived and worked on a sustainable family farm integrating agriculture, food production, and agritourism
- Assisted with daily milking of cows and goats and supported small-scale cheese production
- Supported herding and shepherding of goats and cattle across farm landscapes
- Prepared, served, and sold locally produced cheeses, paninis, and beverages to guests
- Engaged with visitors in a hospitality setting, communicating food production processes and local farming practices
- Supervised and engaged children during on-site summer camp programming
- Gained hands-on experience in sustainable agriculture, food systems, hospitality, and childcare
Field Course Participant
University of Torino
07.2024 - 07.2024
- Graduate-level botany course studying wildflower diversity.
- Participated in a masters-level botany course studying wildflower diversity
- Conducted field observations and plant identification in high-elevation meadows
- Collaborated with international students and faculty on ecological fieldwork
- Took place entirely in Italian
Swimming Instructor
Aqua-Tots Swim School
06.2022 - 08.2022
- Taught children ages 6 months to 16 years in individual and group swim lessons
- Certified in CPR; taught up to 8 classes per day in an engaging and safe environment
- Adapted communication and instruction styles to fit a wide range of children's needs
Snowboard Salesperson
Ski Pro
01.2021 - 04.2022
- Began as cashier and advanced to snowboard sales representative
- only sole female sales person in department; sold equipment packages sometimes exceeding $1,600
- Honed technical knowledge and practiced high-level customer communication
Hostess & Busser
Tutti Santi by Nina
06.2020 - 01.2021
- Greeted customers, managed reservations, and assisted with table service
- Prepared coffee drinks and supported floor staff in a fast-paced environment
Education
University of Arizona - Anthropology, Italian
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona05.2027
Skills
- Independent work, reliability, and time management
- Team collaboration in research, community, and service settings
- Literature review, synthesis, and organization
- Thoughtful engagement with peers and supervisors in collaborative work environments
- Familiarity with R and Python
- Public communication and customer engagement
Certification
Wilderness First Aid (WFA)
Languages
French
Elementary
Italian
Limited Working
Hobbies and Interests
- Cooking
- Rock climbing
- Camping
- Yoga
- Traveling
- Fermentation
- Learning languages
- Cultural studies
- growing plants
Timeline
WWOOF Volunteer
Can Decreix Eco-Community
07.2025 - 08.2025
WWOOF Volunteer
La Borie Nobel
06.2025 - 06.2025
Research Assistant
Professor Linda Green
05.2025 - 06.2025
Food Production / Farmer Market Booth Manager
Desert Forager
04.2025 - Current
Field Course Participant
University of Torino
07.2024 - 07.2024
Intern
Agriturismo Internship
06.2024 - 08.2024
Swimming Instructor
Aqua-Tots Swim School
06.2022 - 08.2022
Snowboard Salesperson
Ski Pro
01.2021 - 04.2022
Hostess & Busser
Tutti Santi by Nina
06.2020 - 01.2021
Volunteer Member
National Charity League
University of Arizona - Anthropology, Italian
University of Arizona