How she shines: I've had the chance to work alongside a lot of talented people, and Sara stands out.
The first thing you notice about Sara is that people trust her. She's honest even when it's uncomfortable, admits it when she gets something wrong, and is quick to hand the credit to someone else. She doesn't lead by title. She leads by showing up, doing what she said she'd do, and making everyone around her better. That's rarer than it should be.
Sara is also a remarkable communicator. She can explain something complicated in a way that makes sense to everyone in the room, and she's just as good at listening. When our team rolled out new technology, she didn't just push it out and move on. She made sure people were trained and comfortable, and she took their feedback seriously. Because of that, these changes actually stuck.
Sara is always looking for a better way to do things. She brings fresh ideas without ever being dismissive of how things have been done, and she follows through until an idea becomes real. That same spirit shows up in her passion for sustainability. She has supported and helped drive green initiatives that cut waste, getting colleagues involved through encouragement rather than lectures.
What really speaks to her character is what she does outside of work. Sara volunteers in her community and is part of an advocacy team, giving her time to causes that matter and speaking up for people who need someone in their corner. She never makes a show of it—you usually hear about it from someone else. She's also one of the most generous mentors I know. Sara takes the time to really understand where a person is trying to go, gives honest advice, and celebrates their wins as if they were her own. Many people have grown in their careers because she believed in them first. She's a natural collaborator, too, and she has a way of bringing different perspectives together so the whole team benefits.
And she never stops growing. Sara pursues training and new skills, applies them, and then shares what she's learned so others can benefit too.
Sara is thoughtful, principled, and genuinely kind, and she gets results. I can't think of a better person for this honor.
Years in the industry: 25 years
Job responsibilities: As the Customer Experience Delivery Lead, Sara plays a vital role in supporting building service contractors and select strategic accounts by ensuring they receive the best customer experience during their projects, from start to finish.
Career path: Sara's career path includes cook, caterer, customer care CSR, SR customer care CSR, sales support specialist, and customer experience delivery manager. Throughout these experiences, she has learned to enjoy the job, the people, and be challenged and engaged by the work she's doing.
Best advice received: Just do it Sara, the outcome will reward the work.
Fun fact: Sara is a lover of arts and crafts.