Sarah has spent a career managing US government-funded international development projects around the globe. She received her B.A. from NYU’s Gallatin School in Development Studies and Human Rights, followed by an M.A. in Poverty and Development from the Institute of Development Studies in the UK. She took her first job in 2008 in Hanoi, Vietnam supporting the administration and award of HIV/AIDS programs and has since spent most of the last 15 years abroad managing large, complex USAID-funded programs. She most recently was based in Kyiv, Ukraine where she served as the Operations Director for USAID’s $150+ million energy security project – and where her youngest, Nico, was born. Prior to Ukraine she was in South Africa in the role of Deputy Chief of Party for Program Management supporting the USAID-funded Power Africa project, focused on increasing energy access and ending energy poverty in sub-Saharan Africa. Her two daughters, Ariya and Layla, were born in South Africa and Sarah discovered the beauty of Montessori when her oldest daughter started attending a Montessori daycare at 12 months old. She quickly fell in love with the philosophy and began educating herself on all things Montessori. She completed the AMI Montessori 3-6 Orientation course last year and is excited to bring the skills she has honed in her career to the position of Development Director. Sarah, her husband, Markus, and their three kids, are thrilled to be part of the Hilltop community. Sarah hopes to devote her free time to pursuing artistic ventures, learning how to garden, and spending time outside.