Lauren Mason

Policy & Advocacy Director

Brussels Metropolitan Area

About

EU affairs, advocacy and project management professional with experience managing teams and designing high-impact strategies. My policy specialisms include: democracy, good governance, digitalisation, youth participation, EU enlargement and integration.

Experience

  • European Youth Forum (4 yrs 4 mos)
    • Policy and Advocacy Director
      Mar 2026 - Present · 4 mos

      Ad interim Leading the European Youth Forum's Policy and Advocacy Department bringing young people's perspectives into EU, UN and CoE policy files, covering democracy, human rights, sustainability, employment, transport, digitalisation, etc. Leading campaigns influencing the EU budget, investment agenda, Erasmus+ programme, etc. Supporting the Board and 100+ member organisations.

    • Senior Policy and Advocacy Manager
      May 2025 - May 2026 · 1 yr 1 mo

      Leading the Forum's policy work on democracy, digitalisation and youth participation, bringing young people's priorities into EU policy-making; supporting youth organisations to navigate policy processes in the EU and Council of Europe; leading campaigns around Erasmus+, electoral reform; overseeing youth participation processes including the EU Youth Dialogue and President von der Leyen's Youth Advisory Board.

    • Policy and Advocacy Manager
      Mar 2022 - May 2025 · 3 yrs 3 mos

  • European Liberal Forum (Brussels Region, Belgium)
    • Head of Projects
      2020 - 2022 · 2 yrs

      Managing the European Liberal Forum's research and capacity-building projects with national think tanks across Europe. Seeking to consolidate liberal positions and influence policy narratives on trade, tech policy, climate policy, human rights and rule of law.

    • Project Officer
      2018 - 2020 · 2 yrs

  • Programme Assistant at European Policy Centre
    2018 - 2018 · Less than a year

    Bringing the outcomes of projects run by the Mercator Foundation on climate change, youth, culture, rule of law and transport to stakeholders in Brussels, through policy debates, briefs & photo exhibitions.

  • Council of Europe (2 yrs 1 mo)
    • Project Assistant
      2017 - 2018 · 1 yr

      Running the programme "Schools of Political Studies" training for young politicians, lawyers, journalists and civil servants across South East Europe; support to the Media Freedom Platform registering threats to the safety of journalists and media freedom in Europe

    • Trainee
      2016 - 2017 · 1 yr

  • Blue Book Trainee at European Commission
    2015 - 2015 · Less than a year

    Supporting the Creative Europe programme, including the European Capitals of Culture, European Heritage Label.