Sarah Elbert
Director, Communications

Years at the Foundation

2019 2025
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A professional headshot of Sarah Elbert. She has brown chin-length hair and wears a green dress.

Sarah joined the Foundation team in 2019 as Communications Manager. Named Director of Communications in 2022, she leads the Foundation’s design, planning, and implementation of the legacy and sunset communications strategies. Her public-facing projects include the Foundation’s archival website, a commemorative book for the Clark family, Foundation staff and grantee partners, and the Clark Foundation Legacy and Program Space at the University of Maryland (opening 2027).  

Before entering philanthropy, Sarah had extensive experience in project management, partnerships, and operations, most recently in the field of civic engagement. She served as Deputy Director of States at When We All Vote, a nonprofit group created by Michelle Obama to increase voter participation in every election.  

Sarah has worked in a variety of settings, from theatre program management at the University of Texas at Austin to floral design at Wollam Gardens, a 12-acre cut-flower farm. She serves on the board of the James N. Loehlin Memorial Fund, which supports students pursuing higher education and the arts. Sarah, who holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin, lives in northern California with her family, dog, and beautiful, riotous garden.

Q: What have you learned in your role at the Foundation?  

A: This job has deepened my faith in humanity (really!). Being a part of a committed team, with a mission to carry out a generous family's legacy, with the most wonderful grantee partners has been the opportunity of a lifetime.  

Q: What are you most grateful for? 

A: I am most grateful for the sheer volume of things I learned over the years, and the incredible brain trust I was welcomed into. Both in terms of our small team and the non-profit leaders and students with whom we worked. 

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A professional headshot of Sarah Elbert. She has brown chin-length hair and wears a green dress.