Lauren Cichocki

Lauren is a Senior Manager of Strategic Initiatives for Animal Agriculture Sustainability & Animal Welfare at Walmart Inc., where she partners with cross-functional teams and global suppliers supporting Walmart and Sam’s Club to help accelerate sustainability progress across the food business. Her work sits at the intersection of environmental impact, animal welfare, and business execution—turning ambitious goals into practical roadmaps that can scale across complex supply chains. She focuses on advancing more resilient food systems by translating science, producer realities, and stakeholder expectations into clear strategies, measurable outcomes, and supplier engagement approaches.

Before joining Walmart, she built her career in animal agriculture, with experience spanning swine production, poultry and swine nutrition, and research. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from Clemson University and a Master of Animal Nutrition with a Feed Science Graduate Certificate from North Carolina State University. That hands-on foundation—paired with graduate research and industry roles in nutrition and production—shaped how she leads today: she is committed to solutions that are credible on paper and workable in barns, plants, and boardrooms. She brings a collaborative mindset to sustainability, grounded in data and continuous improvement. She also believes progress happens faster when organizations listen closely to producers and suppliers, use consistent metrics, and build partnerships that reward transparency and innovation. She currently lives in Bentonville, Arkansas with her beloved dog Jacie!