Lauren J RichardsonResearch · Strategy · Media · Systems

Media, audience, operations, and research.

I work across artist campaigns, merchandise, production, audience strategy, research, and digital systems, connecting creative ideas to the people and operations that move them forward.

Los Angeles · CSUN student · Available for media, strategy, and research opportunities

First & Fifteenth RecordsMarketing & Digital Strategy Consultant2024–Present
Laced MediaFounder & Director of Operations2012–Present
CSUN Library UX Research LabStudent UX Research Assistant2026–Present
Merchandising & ProductionSourcing · Pricing · Events · D2C2011–Present

What I do

Music & artist strategy

Releases · Touring · Audience · CRM · Campaigns

Merchandise & D2C

Sourcing · Pricing · Shopify · Inventory · Tour merch

Artist & production operations

Schedules · Vendors · Events · Logistics

Research & audience insight

UX · Cultural research · Catalog · Evidence

Creative technology & systems

Web · Automation · Workflows · APIs

Education & certification

California State University, Northridge

  • B.A. Philosophy
  • Minor, Digital Humanities
  • Expected spring 2028

Glendale Community College

  • A.A.-T, Philosophy
  • Transferred to CSUN

ESQ. Apprentice

  • Legal apprenticeship studies
  • 2019–2021 cohort

CITI Program

  • Human subjects research
  • Social-Behavioral-Educational Researchers

Experience

2026–Present

Student UX Research Assistant

Usability research for the CSUN Library OneSearch redesign and the introduction of AI into the online search experience.

  • Research on user behavior, information discovery, interface usability, and interaction with digital information systems.
  • Structured study design, documentation, research ethics, and evidence-based analysis inside an academic research environment.
  • Human-subjects research training completed through the CITI Program, Social-Behavioral-Educational Researchers.
California State University, Northridge · Part-time · Appointment through April 2027
Apr 2012–Present

Founder & Director of Operations

A hybrid creative strategy, production, technology, and venture studio, run in two modes: client services for organizations needing strategy, communications, production, digital products, merchandising, or operational systems, and venture creation for media properties built in-house.

  • Lead strategy, creative direction, communications, production, product development, digital marketing, and technology across client work and internal ventures.
  • Manage projects across clients, talent, creative teams, vendors, developers, budgets, and schedules.
  • Build digital infrastructure on Supabase, Vercel, GitHub, and generative-AI APIs.
  • First & Fifteenth Records · Marketing & Digital Strategy Consultant · Aug 2024–PresentDigital strategy across releases, touring, email, social, merchandise, web, and creative production. Built and manage the label’s Mailchimp program of roughly 7,000 contacts integrated with Shopify. Directed digital and email strategy for Chill’s Spotlight Vol. 7. Tour marketing for the Food & Liquor 20th Anniversary Tour and the Back to Basics Tour, including promoter coordination and advertiser access across 14 dates. Artist and tour merchandise with Absolute Merch, covering product development, inventory, e-commerce, and fulfillment. Budget and earnings systems for campaign spend, revenue, and remittance reconciliation. Strategy and development for the redesigned 1stn15th.com.
  • Big Printing · Former employer, now a clientCRM and production-management architecture, customer portal planning for roughly 5,000 accounts, and migration planning for roughly 3 TB of artwork archives.
  • Pamela PriceStrategic and crisis communications.
  • Dr. Walter RileyCommunity communications and media.
  • VenturesBypassTV, Entertaining Ellements, Culture United, Total Package Gifts, MoreRecently.
Laced Media Agency · Burbank, California
Feb 2020–Jun 2022

Guest Event Representative

Live event operations and guest experience across a two and a half year run.

Golden State Warriors · Part-time
Aug 2019–Sep 2021

Legal Apprentice

Selected for the 2019 cohort of ESQ. Apprentice, a nonprofit program supporting apprentices through the four-year path to qualifying for the California State Bar without a law degree. Focus on the intersection of technology innovation and law, including intellectual property and usage rights.

ESQ. Apprentice · Oakland, California
Apr–May 2022

Sales Administrator

Lead intake and organization, rental contracts, and 3D digital renderings of event layouts for a community-funded event venue.

Oakstop · Oakland, California

Selected work

Filter by what you’re hiring for.

Selected production credits

Freelance and contract production work across documentary, commercial, and competition television.

Jan–Apr 2023
Talent PARock Shrimp Productions · Food Network

BBQ Brawl, season four.

Oct 2022
Key Production AssistantHyperion LA

Multi-location travel for audio interviews and dynamic portraits of Northern California families affected by wildfires. Set up wireless transmitters and receivers for audio, assisted with lighting.

Sep 2022
Production AssistantSunset Lane Entertainment

Short documentary for The Hidden Genius Project and Smartsheet. Coordinated travel and production elements.

Aug 2022
Production AssistantRakuten

SC30 commercial.

Aug 2022
Production AssistantNtropic

Amazon commercial.

Research & writing

How does information become belief, belief become choice, and choice become consequence?

One question I keep returning to What would someone have had to know to make a different decision, and could they reasonably have known it?

Where this is going

My current work in music, research, technology, and media is part of a longer plan to build an independent research institution.

2026–28Foundation
2028–30Graduate methods
2030–34Research + translation
2034–36Richersun

Contact

Let’s work together.

I’m interested in opportunities in music, merchandise, production, research, strategy, and operations, and in roles where I can learn, contribute, and grow.