Elected: April 2024

1st Term - Expires: April 2027

Mrs. Lauren Layman has lived in Republic with her husband, Nick since 2007. They have been married for 17 years and have two daughters, Elyse (6th grade at RMS) and Nora (3rd grade at McCulloch Elementary). Both of their girls have attended Republic Schools since Kindergarten. Lauren is a Southwest Missouri native, graduating from Marionville High School in 2001. She then obtained her bachelor’s degree in Marketing Management from SMSU in 2005, and then the following year, obtained her MBA from MSU in 2006.

Lauren and her husband, Nick are part owners of her family’s business, Smart Insurance Agency located in Marionville, MO. As the 3rd generation, Lauren works alongside Nick, and her father Randy.  Although she is a licensed producer for all insurance lines, her primary focus lies in marketing and business development, client engagement, and community support.

In addition to her professional roles, Lauren is also passionate about supporting the endeavors of her children and the local school district.  She has spent time on the McCulloch Elementary PTO Board, McCulloch Parent Advisory Team, Key Communicators, and Republic School District’s CSIP Team. Lauren and her husband are also co-directors of Drive Out Hunger, a charity golf tournament founded 12 years ago that provides significant funding to the Tiger Totes backpack program, operated by Care to Learn-Republic. 

When asked why she chose to serve on the Republic Board of Education Mrs. Buchanan responded, "As a business owner, professional volunteer, and mother, I feel I bring an important perspective to the decisions made for our school district which affect not only our children, but also our staff & administrators & even the community.  Giving back has always been something I’ve been drawn to, as it was modeled for me growing up and I feel it’s of vital importance to show the next generation how much impact you can have when you are willing to serve your community."