Meet Lauren Ruvo Carroll

We recently connected with Lauren Ruvo Carroll and have shared our conversation below.

Lauren, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

Finding my purpose is ever-evolving. I think if you were to ask my 20-year-old self what my purpose was I would have given you one answer and if you were to ask me now, I think the answer has shifted quite a bit because as I’ve grown, evolved, and experienced the world my priorities have changed too. For me, my purpose in life is raising two well-rounded, generous, kind, and happy kids, helping others and giving a voice to those who need one most, leaving a positive impact on the world around me, and making the world better than how I found it. In my twenties there were definitely elements of my current purpose that were true – I have always knows that I wanted my career to be one that helped people – but what that looked like or how I would make it happen has definitely evolved because of the many experiences I have had. When finding and defining my purpose, I stayed open minded to the different possibilities that presented themselves to me and by being open and trying new things I was able to discover what I loved and, even more importantly, what I didn’t. I try to view every experience as one I can learn from and by keeping an open mind I’ve been able to define my purpose and make sure that what I’m working in a way that aligns with my purpose.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I’m Lauren Ruvo Carroll, and the heart of my work sits at the intersection of advocacy, coaching, and restorative justice. For more than a decade, I’ve worked with survivors of sexual violence, supported policy initiatives, and helped individuals navigate some of the most challenging moments of their personal and professional lives. Today, that journey has evolved into two deeply connected paths: my coaching practice (LaurenRuvo.com) and my work with Ampersands Advocacy Resources, an organization I co-founded dedicated to survivor-centered justice and accountability.

Through my coaching business, I work with individuals — especially lawyers and professionals in high-pressure fields — who feel stuck, burned out, or out of alignment with their values. I support them in discovering what they truly want, making empowered career moves, and designing lives that feel purposeful, balanced, and authentically theirs.

What makes my coaching practice unique is the blend of my background:

I’m trained as both an attorney (J.D., Georgetown University) and an educator (Ed.M., Harvard University).
I’ve worked on Capitol Hill, at the Department of Health and Human Services, in law firms, at Loyola Marymount University, and in direct-service roles supporting survivors.I’m also a trained restorative justice facilitator, which shapes the way I help clients connect to their strengths, navigate difficult transitions, and step into new chapters with clarity.

At LaurenRuvo.com, I offer 1:1 coaching, group coaching, professional development guidance, and programs designed for people navigating change. What excites me most is witnessing clients shift from “I’m not sure what to do next” to “I know exactly what I want, and I’m ready to go after it.”

In addition to coaching, for the past six months, my co-founder and I have been exploring how to better address a critical gap in the field: many survivors of sexual violence don’t have accessible, clear information about their justice options. Without this knowledge, it’s incredibly difficult to make fully informed decisions about healing, accountability, or next steps.

To meet this need, we are thrilled to announce the launch of Ampersands Advocacy Resources, a new project dedicated to providing survivors with the information and tools they need to understand all of their justice pathways — criminal, civil, restorative, and beyond. Ampersands Advocacy Resources is survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and built around a simple but powerful belief:mWhen survivors have real information, they can make real choices.

Justice is not one-size-fits-all. Every survivor deserves to understand their options — not just the ones that systems traditionally put in front of them. My background in law and psychology uniquely positions me to help bridge that gap. I’ve spent more than 10 years working closely with survivors, and I’ve seen how transformative it is when people are offered clarity, respect, and true autonomy.

In addition to launching Ampersands Advocacy Resources, I am expanding my coaching work in 2025, including a new group program specifically designed to support lawyers who are seeking alignment, balance, or a new direction in their careers.
Both my coaching practice and my work with Ampersands are rooted in the same mission:
to help people find their voice, understand their choices, and move forward with confidence and support.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Looking back, the three qualities that were most impactful in my journey were curiosity, open-mindedness, and resilience.
Curiosity has been the driving force behind my growth. Staying curious pushed me to keep asking questions, explore new ideas, and continue learning. That mindset helped me develop skills proactively rather than reactively.

Open-mindedness allowed me to embrace unexpected opportunities. I’ve learned that you never really know where a conversation, a project, or a connection will lead. By staying open to different perspectives and possibilities, I found myself taking on challenges that expanded my capabilities in meaningful ways.

Resilience was essential, especially during difficult moments. There were times when things didn’t work out as planned, but those experiences ended up becoming some of my biggest learning opportunities. Viewing setbacks as part of the process helped me grow stronger and more adaptable.

For those early in their journey, my advice is to intentionally cultivate these three qualities:
Stay curious: Ask questions, explore topics outside your comfort zone, and never assume you’ve learned “enough.” Curiosity fuels innovation and keeps you ahead of the curve.

Be open-minded: Say yes to conversations and opportunities even when they don’t seem directly related to your current path. Growth often comes from the unexpected.

Build resilience: Don’t fear failure. Instead, use tough moments as data points and learning experiences. Every challenge strengthens your ability to handle the next one.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

I feel like I’m juggling a million and one things on any given day, so overwhelm happens more than I’d like to admit. When I start to feel overwhelmed, I like to take a step back and pause. Once I pause, I take time to write down everything that’s swirling around in my brain and make a to-do list. I break it down based on priority and from there find things to be much more manageable. I have also learned to say “no” to invitations when I’m in that state of overwhelm as opposed to adding one more thing to my to-do list. Learning to say “no” has helped me protect my peace and allows me to fully be present to the commitments that I say “yes” to.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.LaurenRuvo.com
• Instagram: @laurenruvo

Image Credits

Veronica Crawford