Sara Sanford

Sara Sanford is a prominent advocate for gender equity in the workplace and the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Gender Equity Now (GEN). She has dedicated her career to addressing systemic barriers that contribute to gender inequity, focusing on data-driven solutions and organizational change.

Professional Background

• Founder of GEN: Sara established GEN with the aim of moving from anecdotal evidence to actionable data to combat gender inequity. The organization is known for its GEN Certification, which helps businesses assess and improve their gender equity practices.12
• Educational Credentials: She holds a Master's degree in Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Washington's Evans School of Public Policy, where she concentrated on private-public partnerships and impact evaluation.1 Her contributions include working on reports for major organizations like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.1
• Previous Initiatives: Sara has led various initiatives, including efforts to support women in the financial services sector and launching a nonprofit aimed at enhancing rural education. She has also worked with local foundations to improve cultural competence in K-12 education in Washington State.13

Current Role and Impact

In her role at GEN, Sara emphasizes the importance of transforming organizational cultures to prioritize equity. She believes that businesses can be equity-centered if they choose to be, advocating for a future where companies focused on gender equity outnumber those that are not.12 Her work has been recognized through various speaking engagements, including TEDx talks, where she discusses strategies for designing workplaces free from gender bias.24

Sara Sanford continues to influence discussions around gender equity, making significant contributions to both academic and practical approaches to this critical issue.