Employee Spotlight: Lauren Small 

Let’s get to know Lauren Small! Lauren hails from Silver Spring, Maryland. She attended the University of Maryland for her BS in Psychology and then went on to George Washington University to earn her MA in Organizational Science. Lauren is currently an HR Generalist/Recruiter at FMP. Keep reading to learn more about Lauren! 

What are your hobbies? 

I have always been a cake decorator, making themed cakes for my children and my friends’ children. I just recently started trying my hand at making and decorating realistic cakes that look like other items, a la Is it Cake?. It’s such a fun challenge, and it’s a blast to see people’s reactions! 

When you’re not working, where can we find you? 

You can find me with my two kids, two dogs, and husband cooking or baking, taking on a home or craft project, or at a sports game. 

Share a fun life experience or story.

I was lucky enough to swim at the University of Maryland. I was a backstroker and missed qualifying for the Olympic Trials by 6/10ths of a second. I owe a lot of success in my life to swimming. It taught me discipline, internal motivation, and that you can’t make it very far without an amazing team! 

What do you like the most about working at FMP? 

I can confidently say FMP is in the top tier for culture of any firm I’ve worked at. From the minute I started, everyone has been warm, caring, collegial, and hard-working. It’s rare to find a firm with a positive culture so enmeshed in its everyday operations. That’s owed to our amazing management team. 

Describe FMP in 3 words. 

Joyful and top-rate. 

What keeps you excited to come to work every day? 

Well, free lunch and our well-stocked kitchen, of course! I’m kidding – it’s my team. I am one lucky employee to have a top-notch HR team to work with day in and day out. 

Zoe Nerantzis joined FMP as a Consultant in May 2021 and works with the National Science Foundation team by supporting NSF’s learning and development branch. Zoe is from Rockville, Maryland and can generally be found reading fantasy novels, working out in her basement, or rooting for the Washington Football team.