About Sarah
A nonprofit strategist with a change leadership lens
Why I do this work
I almost walked away from this sector entirely.
I had been an Executive Director three times over. I knew what it took to move a mission forward, and I knew the challenges. Outdated systems. Under-resourced teams. The constant pressure to do more with less. At some point I stopped being sure I wanted to keep doing it.
What called me back to this work was a question that continues to inspire me. How do we reimagine the way this work actually gets done.
That question is why I'm here.
Who I work with
Nonprofit executive directors, boards, and teams somewhere in the middle of the AI question. Curious, a little wary, and clear that whatever comes next has to line up with their values.
How I got here
Twenty years at the intersection of nonprofit leadership, strategy, and systems change. Three charities led as Executive Director.
My Executive MBA is from Quantic School of Business and Technology, where AI and AI policy were part of the curriculum from the beginning. I had time away from work while I studied, and I spent it going deep on generative AI. That deep dive continued through courses, trainings, books, podcasts, workshops, and a great many hours of self-study, from the moment generative AI arrived on the scene in 2023 to now.
I came to this without a technology background, so I went and built one. Nonprofits on one side, the tech sector on the other, and enough fluency in both to stand in the middle and help them talk to each other. Today I help teams meet the AI era with confidence, by focusing on the leadership choices that shape how we learn, adapt, and stay human while everything is changing around us.
How I work
Everything starts with deep listening
I take time to understand what's working, where the pressure points are, and what you've already tried. From there we co-design something that fits your culture and your real conditions.
Four things shape every engagement:
Collaboration
I treat the work as a partnership. We build together.
Practical Wisdom
I draw on real experience to deliver things that work, not things that look good on paper.
Compassionate Leadership
I make room for safety and inclusion while asking the honest questions that move things forward.
Boldness
I'll challenge an old assumption and help you reimagine what's possible, with care.
"When you are in the fishbowl of an organization, leaning on outside professionals to help you get that bigger picture captured is so key. Working with Sarah was tremendously worthwhile."
Jon Hamlin
Director of Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Glenlyon Norfolk School
What I believe about AI
Used with care, AI can create more space for connection, professionalism and rest. It can free a team to spend its hours on service instead of admin.
I believe nonprofits can lead on ethical AI adoption rather than follow it. The sector holds some of the most caring, creative and committed people I know, and this work is how we repair what's broken and imagine what's possible.
This sector deserves every advantage we can give it.
Organizations I've worked with
Volunteer Victoria · The Vantage Point · Scale Collaborative · FOCUS Accreditation · Glenlyon Norfolk School · 1Up Single Parent Resource Centre · Thriving Non-Profits · Social Venture Institute · BC + AI Ecosystem