Sarah is a Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion practitioner. She works to build healthy communities where all members can thrive. Sarah brings her lived experience as a Latina and community leader to her projects, enabling an authentic connection to those she serves. 

Sarah is committed to approaching her work through a lens of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI). She values lived experience as expertise and believes those closest to the issues have the solutions we are seeking. Sarah works tirelessly to support institutions in building right relationships and centering those that are most impacted. She is highly collaborative and motivated by engaging in opportunities to deconstruct, reimagine and redesign systems traditionally designed to leave out individuals and communities of color.  

Sarah has served in various leadership roles and brings a wealth of experience in the nonprofit, philanthropic, and government sectors, locally and nationally. She brings know-how in strategy building, leadership development, program design, partnership building, community engagement, neutral facilitation, and awareness initiatives. Sarah is a certified Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) Qualified Administrator to assess individual and organization cultural competency. She often uses the IDI as an entry point to conversations in the continuum of JEDI work.  

Some of Sarah’s work includes stepping into leadership of a failing community center and transforming it into a thriving community hub serving 8,000- 10,000 children, youth, and families annually in the Maryvale area. Additionally, while utilizing a community-led approach, she then facilitated the creation of The Heart of Isaac Community Center through a partnership of the Isaac School District with parents, school staff, residents, community partners, and public officials. It is the first resident-driven Family Resource Center implemented within an education setting in Arizona.

Sarah is bilingual and bicultural. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Family Studies and Human Development from the University of Arizona. She also holds a master’s degree in Social Work from Arizona State University. She is a Co-Chair of the Latina Giving Circle, is a Valley Leadership Alumni- Class 38, and a graduate of the Hispanic Leadership Institute through Valle Del Sol. She serves on the board of Dignity Health St. Joseph Hospital and Medical Center and Omega Youth Leadership Academy. Additionally, she serves as a committee member for the Women’s and Girls of Color Fund for the Women’s Foundation for the State of Arizona. Most importantly, she is a wife and a mother of a 9-year-old daughter and a 5-year-old son.