Sara co-founded Ideal State in 2016 after 15 years as a senior knowledge management and digital transformation leader at top-tier international health and development organizations. A sought-after speaker and published author, Sara has presented at numerous industry conferences including KMWorld, APQC, NTEN, and Digital Workplace Experience, where she enjoys sharing her insights with diverse audiences. Holding a master of public health (MPH) degree from the University of Washington, Sara's academic training underscores her commitment to impactful change.
Sara's role as chief architect of Ideal State’s innovative consulting practice has cemented her reputation as a transformative force in the new world of work. She has led over 100 large-scale digital transformation projects to success for Ideal State clients, employing her trademark human-centered methodology to drive lasting impact and productivity gains. Her book, Zen and the Art of Digital Transformation: Leading a Mindful Redesign of the Digital Enterprise, published by Wiley in 2025, chronicles the innovative approaches that have propelled Ideal State to a trusted partner status among numerous high-profile organizations.
Her professional journey began at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in the early 2000s, where she worked shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the most revered figures in health, education, and technology. Fueled by their valiant efforts to tackle global challenges, Sara immersed herself in the international health field during the global HIV pandemic.
Sara's passion for knowledge management (KM) ignited at the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF), where she became a certified KM practitioner and spearheaded EGPAF's first institutional KM program. Her vision for leveraging KM to foster learning and continuous improvement across a global organization operating in 25 countries garnered a CIO 100 award and ignited a lifelong passion for human-centered digital transformation.
As a relentless internal change agent, Sara went on to lead groundbreaking digital transformation initiatives as the KM Director for Pact, a Washington D.C.-based NGO active in 50 countries. Her leadership unified data management and reporting for all aspects of Pact's program operations and implemented cutting-edge tools for communication and collaboration. This work put Pact and Sara’s expertise on the map, resulting in numerous conference invitations and positioning Sara as a leader in the digital transformation space.
Outside of work, Sara is an avid tennis player and skier who enjoys exploring the great outdoors of Santa Fe, New Mexico, with her husband and co-founder, Jeremy, and their young daughter, Abigail.