Lauren Coffren serves as the Executive Director of the Exploited Children Division at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) in Alexandria, Virginia. A nationally recognized authority on online child sexual exploitation, Ms. Coffren has devoted over two decades to advancing NCMEC’s mission since joining the organization in 2006 as an analyst in the Child Victim Identification Program (CVIP).

In her current role, Ms. Coffren provides strategic and operational leadership for several of NCMEC’s core national programs, including the CyberTipline —the United States' centralized reporting mechanism for online child sexual exploitation— as well as the Child Victim Identification Program, and the Notice Tracking Program. She is also the founder of NCMEC’s CSAM Survivor Services Program, a first of its kind initiative established to strengthen systemic responses to survivors of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Through sustained engagement with survivors, she ensures that their experiences meaningfully shape policy development, inform victim-centered practices, and expand post-identification resources for affected children, caregivers, and multidisciplinary professionals.

Ms. Coffren is a leading contributor to both national and international discourse on child sexual abuse material. She has co-authored guidance documents and white papers that have informed practitioners, policymakers, and law enforcement agencies worldwide.

A seasoned trainer and subject-matter expert, Ms. Coffren has designed and delivered extensive instruction for law enforcement, technology companies, and child-serving organizations on emerging trends and best practices related to responding to online child exploitation. She has provided direct technical assistance to federal, state, and local law-enforcement agencies across the United States, as well as to international investigative bodies, strengthening cross-border collaboration in victim-identification efforts.

As a prominent spokesperson for NCMEC, Ms. Coffren is regularly sought by national and local media to address issues such as online enticement, sextortion, sadistic online exploitation and the proliferation of CSAM. She frequently engages with Congress and senior government officials, briefing members on evolving threats, technological developments—including generative AI—and the corresponding needs of victims and investigators. She has served as a featured speaker for congressional caucus events on Generative AI and CSAM, as well as for the Bipartisan Working Group on AI Policy and Public Safety Implications and testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Ms. Coffren holds multiple degrees from DeSales University in Allentown, Pennsylvania.