Sara serves as the Senior Manager, Fiscal and Academic Solvency at the Illinois State Board of Education.  As the “non-finance person” in the agency’s finance division, she builds bridges between academics, programs, strategy, and finance such that state K-12 policy and practice can support schools more holistically.  Sara previously acted as the Managing Director and Advisor of Education Policy for the Illinois Secretary of Education.  Highlighted work included K-12 funding reform, high school course equity, and ESSA.  Before coming to Illinois, Sara worked as a program manager with Mass Insight Education, a nationally recognized leader in school turnaround.  She began her education career teaching Spanish in Milwaukee, WI.  Sara holds an A.B. in Comparative Literature from Princeton University and an M.A. in Education from Marquette University.  She resides in Chicago.