Case study · Be A Hero · Director of Operations
Building an organization that could carry its founder’s intent forward
Ady Barkan had already lost the ability to speak naturally. Yet, Be A Hero still needed to sound like him.
ALS had changed how he communicated and how much energy each exchange required. Eye-gaze technology allowed him to write, edit and direct. The healthcare advocacy organization he co-founded was growing quickly. Be A Hero had to make Barkan’s priorities, judgment and voice usable by a larger staff before his capacity narrowed further.
Lauren Carter became Director of Operations when Be A Hero had approximately 12 contributors. She built the initial operating foundation as the staff grew to about 25.
What had to be captured while Ady could still correct it
Barkan’s voice carried the mission’s public argument, personal story and policy position. His judgment shaped what Be A Hero pursued and how it represented the people for whom it advocated. Each exchange now required technology, time and physical effort.
The team had to capture his language, policy judgment, relationships, priorities and standards while he could still correct the translation. Lauren mapped that knowledge into roles, selection criteria, onboarding and shared ways of working.
Two speechwriter roles made the requirement concrete. Their work would prepare Barkan’s articles, interviews, testimony, speeches and communications some of which was connected to Not Going Quietly. The writers had to understand his positions, hear the person inside the public figure and coordinate with colleagues responsible for research, fact-checking and communications.
She designed the selection process around those conditions. Scored questions and a writing exercise tested technical ability, policy knowledge, response to feedback, initiative and collaboration. A final interview with Barkan examined whether each candidate could write in language that was recognizably his.
She hired two writers. Both began producing material for him.
Carmen Rhodes later reported that Barkan gave Lauren special acknowledgment “for designing a process that brought us such an incredible couple of writers.”
The criteria came directly from the founder, the mission and the way the role would operate. The hiring decision was anchored in the actual work.
| Founder intent | Lauren’s translation | Staff practice |
|---|---|---|
| Language and policy judgment | Selection criteria Writing exercise Interview with Barkan | Two writers producing material for him |
| Priorities, relationships and standards | Role responsibilities Onboarding Assigned ownership | Staff entering a shared way of working |
Twelve people became twenty-five
Headcount becomes capacity when people know what they own, how decisions move and whose input controls their deliverables.
Lauren hired the director of organizing and led or participated in recruitment and onboarding across organizing, communications, policy and other functions. Her entry process assigned responsibility before each start date. Agreements, system access, introductions, deadlines, manager preparation and follow-up had owners. The same sequence carried new hires through their first weeks and later reviews.
During the Los Angeles premiere, she brought a 25-person group together from across the country and coordinated the travel, lodging, reimbursements and event responsibilities required for them to operate as one team.
The staff now had a shared entry process, assigned responsibilities and practical support.
The condition changed
By the time she transitioned out, Be A Hero faced a different operating condition.
Barkan’s declining capacity made succession urgent. Liz Jaff, Be A Hero’s other co-founder, was also preparing to exit. Be A Hero now needed to scale under a new leadership structure with deeper political advocacy, organizing and operational experience.
Lauren entered when Be A Hero needed to lay its foundation. She exited when it needed to scale.
What colleagues remembered
Julia Barnes described Lauren as “the voice of reason for us through some tough moments.” Barkan thanked her for contributions he had seen directly and the many parts he had not.
The artifacts show what she built. Her colleagues remembered judgment, steadiness and the ability to hold the whole enterprise while its founders’ availability, the staff and the leadership model were changing at once.
Retirement, exit and illness create different timelines. Each exposes the same question.
What disappears with the founder?
At Be A Hero, that question shaped Lauren’s job. She carried founder intent into key roles and built the structure that let a larger staff enter, coordinate and keep going.