Lorelei Atalie Vargas is a mission-driven public policy and systems leader committed to advancing social and economic justice, inclusive community design, and the well-being of children, families, and communities. Her work focuses on building systems that honor dignity, self-determination, and belonging—particularly for people and communities historically excluded from power and decision-making. She brings deep experience translating policy, lived expertise, and evidence into lasting, community-rooted change.
Lorelei has held senior leadership roles across government, philanthropy, and the nonprofit sector, where she has helped reimagine how institutions partner with communities to create more equitable outcomes. In New York City government, she served as Deputy Commissioner for Child and Family Wellbeing at the NYC Administration for Children’s Services, where she designed and led the nation’s first child welfare division grounded in a two-generation approach. Her leadership shifted public investment toward prevention and community-based supports, strengthened family and kinship networks, and centered the voices of families navigating complex public systems.
Previously, as Deputy Commissioner of Early Care and Education, Lorelei helped oversee the nation’s largest publicly funded childcare system, serving more than 100,000 children annually. She expanded access for children with disabilities and developmental delays, advanced inclusive and trauma-informed practices, and fostered cross-sector strategies that supported both children and caregivers—strengthening early learning environments to reflect the strengths, cultures, and needs of all families.
Most recently, Lorelei served as Chief Community Impact Officer at Trinity Church Wall Street, where she led a place-based initiative in Lower Manhattan that aligned social impact investing with deep community partnership. Her work addressed immediate community needs while advancing long-term, inclusive solutions in food access, youth literacy, and community mental health.
Earlier in her career, Lorelei spent more than a decade at a New York–based nonprofit, expanding mental health and childcare services and leading the global implementation of a trauma-informed organizational culture model across more than 300 child-serving organizations. This work grounded her approach in healing-centered, accessible, and community-led practice. Fluent in English and Spanish, Lorelei holds master’s degrees in public policy and education administration and policy from the University of Michigan and a bachelor’s degree from Bryn Mawr College, where she serves on the Board of Trustees. An Aspen Institute Fellow, she is widely respected for advancing evidence-informed, community-centered systems change that strengthens communities and honors the leadership of those most impacted.