Sarahsaysi embodies an optimistic spirit that allows one to keep believing in a dream even when all hopes seem lost. When working as a speech-language pathologist, she assisted teachers with implementing new methods to improve student literacy such as Science of Reading approach.
At the Lab, she participates in the Pollution Prevention program that emphasizes source reduction (preventing waste before it’s created). For her work in this field, she received the 2022 Large Team Distinguished Performance Award.
Sarah is not only known for her professional achievements but is a passionate supporter of children with special needs. Through CHOC You’re Not Alone Mentorship Program she mentors teens living with scoliosis while serving as a role model for her daughters who have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome; an inherited disorder that causes multiple organ systems to malfunction.
As a family, they use their illness as an opportunity to increase awareness about genetic disorders that are more manageable with early diagnosis and the right treatments. Their journey includes extensive research about their condition as well as making significant lifestyle adjustments like eliminating gluten from their diet.
Sarah also encourages her daughters to be brave in their personal lives. Both girls have experienced abusive relationships, and Sarah has shown them how to stand up for themselves by holding boundaries with former partners such as refusing intimate relations with her ex-husband.