Yen Lawlor was born and raised in Vietnam. She came to the United States with her family at the end of the Vietnam conflict in the 1970’s.

In 1989, Yen started working for Children’s Administration (now DCYF). She has enjoyed working and learning through her various jobs from intake to Indian Child Welfare (ICW) including: 

• On-call After-hours worker
• Child Protective Services caseworker
• Area Administrator. 

Academic achievements include: 

• Master of Education and a K-12 teaching certificate from Western Washington University

In her personal time, Yen enjoys traveling, gardening, and spending time with friends and family.