Lauren Chenarides is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at Colorado State University. Her research background is in food economics, studying the nexus between food choice, retailer competition, and public policy. Specifically, her research interests focus on understanding barriers to accessing affordable, healthy foods and the consequences of poor food access on consumer spending, diet, and health; analyzing trends and developments in food retailer competition, market concentration, and marketing strategies; and, examining the impact of entry by non-traditional food retailers on local competition. She also conducts research in food supply chains, sustainable food systems, and the impact of COVID-19 on food and agricultural markets. Dr. Chenarides holds an undergraduate degree from the College of the Holy Cross, where she majored in Mathematics, and a Ph.D. in Agricultural, Environmental, and Regional Economics from Pennsylvania State University, where she graduated in 2017. Prior to joining CSU, she was an Assistant Professor at Arizona State University.