Lauren Dabkowski

Lauren Dabkowski is an Investment Officer and Portfolio Manager at MERS of Michigan, based in East Lansing. She specializes in private markets, overseeing a $3.5 billion global private investment portfolio that encompasses private equity, real assets, and diversifying strategies. In her role, she assists with investment sourcing, portfolio construction, manager selection, and monitoring, and serves as a voting member of the Portfolio Review Committee, contributing to all major portfolio management and external manager decisions for the pension fund.

Previously, Lauren was an Investment Analyst within Private Markets at both MERS of Michigan and the State of Michigan Retirement Systems. At SMRS, she supported asset allocation and investment evaluation for a $10 billion portfolio focused on private credit, intangible assets, natural resources, energy, and hedge funds, helping to manage and monitor a wide range of alternative asset classes.

She holds a Bachelor's degree in Finance with a minor in Economics from Michigan State University. Lauren is recognized for her expertise in private equity, real assets, and diversified alternative investments, and for her contributions to the development and success of complex, global private markets portfolios at leading Michigan public pension funds.