Director of Environmental Education and Conservation Policy

BSc Hons, PGCE, MSc, FHEA

Sarah is responsible for the oversight, strategic management and growth of environmental education in the A Rocha Worldwide Family (ARWF) by strengthening and supporting A Rocha Organizations (AROs) to facilitate environmentally and culturally relevant environmental education programmes and strategies that encourage environmental sensitivity, ethical responsibilities, and sustainable lifestyles and livelihoods. Sarah is passionate about connecting people and nature, and environmental education that opens windows into wonder that transforms mere knowledge into caring action.  

In Conservation Policy, Sarah is responsible for ensuring high-level representation of the organisation in key international fora, such as IUCN World Conservation Congress (WCC), the Conferences of the Parties of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and for overseeing and driving forwards the development of related ARWF conservation policies.

Sarah is Co-Chair of the Specialist Group on Religion, Spirituality, Environmental Conservation and Climate justice (ReSpECC) housed within the Commission of Environmental, Economic and Social Policy (CEESP).

Sarah was A Rocha International’s Director of International Operations for 11 years and oversaw the strategic management, support, growth and flourishing of A Rocha Organisations worldwide. For 6 years prior, Sarah was also an A Rocha International Trustee.  

Sarah has lived in Latin America and several European countries, and worked extensively both there and worldwide (Africa, Asia, North America), giving her a wide range of experience from practice to policy at the local, regional and international level. Sarah lives in Geneva, Switzerland, and has an office at IUCN, Gland.  

With crosscutting conservation and international development experience, Sarah has worked for many years as a university and college lecturer, consultant and practitioner, in the areas of biodiversity and business, faith and conservation, alternative livelihoods, climate mitigation and adaptation, environment education and conservation policy.

Sarah lives out her Christian faith through her commitment to social justice and environmental sustainability, and enjoys working in her biodiversity-friendly garden.