Meet New Urban Milwaukee Reporter Lauren Hafeman

Lauren Hafeman.

Lauren Hafeman joins the Urban Milwaukee team as its newest staff reporter. She will mainly cover restaurant and bar openings and closings, as well as selected arts and culture and business news.

Before moving to Milwaukee in August, Lauren interned for Isthmus, a community news organization in Madison. There, she covered a little bit of everything, from art exhibitions to restaurant openings, from immigrant-owned businesses to the performing arts.

In addition to reporting for Isthmus, she contributed freelance stories to Wisconsin People & Ideas Magazine and the Shepherd Express.

Lauren graduated from UW-Madison in 2024 with a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism, specializing in reporting. She also holds minors in African studies and integrated liberal studies. In college, she worked as a writing fellow at the university’s writing center and studied abroad at the University of Ghana in Accra, Ghana.

Following Lauren’s college graduation in 2024, she embarked on a six-month freelance reporting trip across Africa. She visited and wrote stories in Morocco, Ghana, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana.

“I am honored and excited to begin reporting on Milwaukee’s restaurant and bar scene for Urban Milwaukee,” Hafeman says. “To my new Cream City neighbors, I will keep you updated on openings and closings, fresh ideas, shattered dreams and expansion plans in the city. I want to know, and will share with all of you, what’s on the way out and who’s on the way in.”

For news tips, questions or comments, email lauren@urbanmilwaukee.com.

Follow her on Instagram @lauren.hafeman.