Loras Engagement And Discussion Series

Dr. Thraen-Borowski earned his B.S. in Kinesiology from Illinois State University. He received his Ph.D. in Kinesiology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he focused on the role of physical activity in the prevention and treatment of cancer. Dr. Thraen-Borowski then completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Physical Activity & Cancer Epidemiology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, followed by a fellowship in Supportive Oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School.

In his current role as Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at Loras College, he serves as the Director of the Cancer Research in Exercise Science Laboratory (CARESLab). His research agenda focuses on the role of physical activity in cancer survivorship, specifically evaluating the implementation of physical activity interventions at the community level and the effectiveness of those interventions on clinical outcomes, prognosis, and quality of life.

Currently, he serves as the Chair of the National Cancer Interest Group for the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and has won the ACSM’s Cancer SIG Research Award twice. Dr. Thraen-Borowski was inducted into both the Illinois State University CAST Academy of Achievement and the D230 Legacy Hall of Fame (science/medicine category),and in 2021, he was named a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine. Furthering his work in exercise oncology, he was selected as the 2022-2023 Loras College “John Cardinal O’Connor Chair for Catholic Thought”.  This year, he was asked to serve on the national advisory council for the implementation of prostate cancer guidelines. In his time at Loras College, his work has been cited over 1,000 times in the scientific literature and has been featured on CBS’ Sunday Morning, Good Morning America, CNN, Reuters Heath, USA Today, and the L.A. Times.

Lauren Ready (’08) is an Emmy-winning filmmaker, keynote speaker, and best selling author of Ask Like A Leader, a transformative guide to using questions to spark insight, build trust, and drive action. As a storytelling strategist she helps leaders and organizations harness the power of questions to uncover stories, drive action, and deepen human connection. 

She is the Founder and Principal Storyteller of Forever Ready Productions, a nationally recognized video production company that has helped nonprofits raise over $20 million through purpose-driven storytelling. A six-time Regional Emmy award winner, Lauren’s work has changed laws, shaped campaigns, and sparked movements—most notably with her acclaimed short documentary What We Will Never Know, which led to a change in child interrogation laws in Tennessee. 

Lauren began her storytelling journey at just 17 as a production assistant in local TV news. Over the next decade, she became an award-winning video journalist, covering national and local breaking news across Iowa, Nebraska, and Memphis. In 2014, she launched Forever Ready Productions to make high-impact video storytelling accessible to mission-driven organizations. 

She has been honored as the Memphis Business Journal’s Small Business of the Year, a Super Woman in Business, and a Top 40 Under 40 leader. And in 2018 was honored with the Loras College Young Alumni Award. In 2024, she was named a Just Society Awards Finalist by Evident Change for her contributions to criminal justice reform through storytelling.