ABOUT SARAH
I grew up in North Vancouver and moved to Victoria in 2003 to attend the University of Victoria. There, I met my spouse, Evan and we have lived on the south island ever since. In 2016, we found our forever home in Brentwood Bay and we’re raising our family in this tight-knit community surrounded by farms, trails, and family. We have two children, Alicia (4) and Clayton (1). They inspire and motivate me every day to be a little bit kinder, listen a little bit closer, and try a little bit harder to make our community and world a better place for them.
I have dedicated my professional life to supporting and improving BC's health and social services. I have two Masters degrees, one in Public Administration and one in Health Administration. I worked with the Auditor General of BC for many years assessing the effectiveness and efficiency of government health and social policies, programs, and systems. In 2019, I joined the Ministry of Health as a Director to put my learnings into practice. Through my work, I have come to appreciate the tremendous role that local government plays in our daily lives and overall health. It shapes our communities; provides the services we need to keep our households running; and works with other governments, organizations, and citizens to tackle society’s toughest challenges including the climate and housing crises.
I am an avid runner and hiker, and an active member of our regional outdoor and running communities. For more than 10 years I have been supporting and volunteering with conservation, trail, and running organizations to help protect the environment, build and maintain trails, and host events. I am deeply committed to protecting the environment, creating spaces for recreation, and helping others achieve their personal goals.
For many of us, the early pandemic served as a pause — a time to step outside our routines and reflect on what’s important. For me, that meant thinking about how I can make a bigger contribution to this complicated world. I made the decision to run for Central Saanich Council because local government matters. Together, I know we can make a difference in our community and beyond.
VALUES
Kindness
I strive to lead with kindness. For me, this means being warm, understanding, clear and honest; listening with curiosity, not judgement; looking for opportunities to help; and interpreting the words and actions of others generously.
Collaboration
I believe that diverse contributions create strong outcomes. I thrive on bringing together people and groups with different backgrounds and perspectives to develop innovative solutions that balance everyone’s needs.
Innovation
I believe in seeking out and listening to new ideas, piloting new policies and programs, and testing out new ways of doing things. New solutions have the potential to drive big improvements, and even when they don't, the learnings still help us move forward.
Making a difference
I want to leave the world a better place than I entered it. Today’s challenges are huge and sometimes it's hard to know where to start. The work we do in our communities improves lives and contributes to larger solutions.
Decolonization and Reconciliation
I acknowledge with deep respect that the District of Central Saanich is located within the territory of the W̱SÁNEĆ peoples, represented today by W̱JOȽEȽP (Tsartlip), SȾÁUTW̱ (Tsawout), and W̱SIḴEM (Tseycum), BOḰEĆEN (Pauquachin), and MÁLEXEȽ (Malahat) First Nations. I am a settler of Scottish, Welsh, Irish, and English ancestry and I am grateful to be cared for by their lands. I am committed to the ongoing learning and unlearning needed to bring us closer to decolonization, and I am deeply grateful to those who invest their time and energy to support this work.
Accountability
I commit to showing up every day and working my hardest to advance the priorities in my platform and other initiatives that are consistent with my values. When I make a mistake or cause unintentional harm, I take responsibility for my actions, reflect on the learnings, and do my very best to repair any damage caused by my words or actions.