Lauren Thomas

Never in a million years did I think that I would fall in love with Roanoke. After attending Roanoke College in tiny Salem, Virginia for four years, I desperately wanted the world to be my oyster. Thoughts of moving to Charlotte, D.C., Atlanta, and NYC and seeing the world sounded glamorous and exciting, but the closer it came to graduation, the more I realized that I wanted to stay exactly where I was. Not only was I comfortable with my beautiful surroundings, but I really felt as if could really make a difference living in the Roanoke area.

With the connections that I had made through my involvement at Roanoke College as an English major with a communications concentration, I quickly found myself writing fashion articles for Bella Magazine for a brief time. Additionally, I became the Human Resources Technology Specialist at Delta Dental of Virginia, which has been a blessing to work for a great company.

Growing up in Winchester, VA my parents were extremely active in the community and taught me at a young age to get involved and give back. I became involved in the Junior League of the Roanoke Valley and The Contemporaries, which has allowed me to meet so many incredible people. Whether it’s chatting about our latest read in our book club with a few glasses of wine from Wine Gourmet, letting our dogs run loose at Six Wags Dog Park, taking a hike on the Blue Ridge Parkway, or gobbling up some s’mores at the Fork in the Alley, my friends and I are always having a blast.

I really am an advocate for living in the Roanoke area, especially when I hear my friends who live in large cities complaining about their high cost of living, long, dreaded commutes to work, and not feeling as if they’re a “part” of they live. In Roanoke, you can make a difference and your voice will be heard—not to mention that the connections you make here will help you throughout your life. I’m blessed to live in this area and look forward to many more days in the Roanoke area.

• Lauren’s Occupation: Human Resources Technology Specialist, Delta Dental of Virginia
• Lauren’s Hometown: Winchester, VA
• Lauren’s Social Profiles: Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace