A seasoned nonprofit leader and public policy researcher, Sarah collaborates with clients on a range of topics from strategic planning to policy research and board and crisis management. Sarah enjoys serving as a trusted sounding board and thought partner to ambitious nonprofit leaders, facilitating the process of envisioning new programs and organizational futures grounded in detailed and achievable plans to make them a reality. Beyond executing big picture strategic goals, Sarah helps clients get unstuck from the details that often bog down projects and is available to assist with project management.

Before joining Conlon Public Strategies, Sarah served for 15 years in leadership roles at the Civic Federation, a 130-year-old nonprofit public policy research organization based in Chicago. Sarah led the Federation’s research area as vice president for over a decade, developing and executing annual programming and research plans, before stepping in as acting president in 2023. She successfully led the organization through the challenges of unexpectedly losing a long-time leader while continuing to produce rigorous research, reports, and communications and was named to the 2024 Crain’s Chicago Business “Who’s Who in Chicago” list. Prior to becoming research director, Sarah led the Federation’s internal and external communications.

When not working on optimizing nonprofits, Sarah is a recreational circus arts student and weightlifter and does her best thinking while upside down.

Education

Sarah holds a master’s degree from the University of Chicago and is an enthusiastic alumna of Knox College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and international relations.