Sarah Emmert Email & Phone Number

Passionate, socially engaged professional with a Master’s degree in Criminology, Law, and Society, specializing in managing complex social change initiatives.I bring extensive experience in needs assessments, data analysis, strategic planning, and program design. My proven ability to communicate and build relationships with culturally diverse community-based and systems-level stakeholders has been integral to my work. Recognized for leading collaborative efforts that drive system-level changes, I advocate for prevention-focused, evidence-based, and data-driven public health approaches.With over 20 years of experience in event coordination—from intimate 20-person gatherings to multi-day conferences with 700 attendees—I demonstrate a results-based leadership approach that fosters impactful community engagement.Core Skills:Program/Project Management | Research & Data Analysis | Evaluation & Reporting | Results-Based Facilitation | Event Planning & Logistics | Community Engagement | Writing/Communications | Strategic PlanningExpertise in Best Practices:Positive Youth Development | Community Safety | Racial Equity | Community Organizing & Engagement | Trauma-Informed Systems | Youth Violence Prevention | Criminal Justice Systems Improvement | Restorative Justice

Capitola, Ca

I oversee the United Way of Santa Cruz County's Community Impact team. We convene community stakeholders to collaborate and strategically act to address critical problems impacting the wellbeing of neighborhoods and communities throughout Santa Cruz County.Current projects include: *Santa Cruz County Youth Action Network, currently focused on youth leadership development and elevating youth voice to inform decision-making throughout the County*Community Corrections Partnership Shared Safety efforts, which involves shifting systems to promote healing, restoration, and better meet the needs of survivors of crime. *Jovenes SANOS, a youth-led group that is currently focused on destimatization of mental health conversations with youth, while promoting community approaches that address trauma and promote healing*Youth Participatory Action Research (Y-PAR) Project: Acting as a Community Fellow, United Way is partnering with UC Santa Cruz to engage 60 youth from throughout the county in a Y-PAR project focused on youth mental health *Children's Network Past Projects Include:*Youth Violence Prevention Task Force's Project Thrive: a 5-year DOJ funded project in partnership with Santa Cruz County Probation, Behavioral Health, County Office of Education, Applied Survey Research, and Community Action Board that worked to create a culturally responsive trauma-informed system of care for young men of color impacted by violence - emphasizing restorative justice & racial equity*Santa Cruz County Community Prevention Partners to reduce youth use of alcohol and other drugs by increasing equitable restorative approaches in schools*Leadership for Community Transformation program, which has engaged over 250 local leaders to create long-term results, rooted in equity and wellbeing.

Capitola, Ca

• Coordinated Santa Cruz County’s Youth Violence Prevention Task Force and its youth violence prevention strategic planning process• Develop a communication system to keep various stakeholders, decision-makers, and community informed and engaged in youth violence prevention efforts• Outreach and recruitment of community members, organizations, and stakeholders to implement countywide youth violence prevention strategic plan • Policy research• Youth engagement and capacity building• Advocacy for system change, reallocation of resources, and utilization of best practices • Outreach, marketing and coordination of special events• Participation multi-disciplinary collaborative tables that focused on community building and juvenile justice issues, such as the Criminal Justice Council, Peace and Unity Coalition, and Keeping Kids in School

Santa Cruz County

• Chair - Aug 2015 to June 2016• Appointed by the Juvenile Court Judge to act as an advisory member to the County Board of Supervisors on issues impacting youth in the County • Focus on advocacy for effective prevention, intervention, and suppression policies and practices• Juvenile Hall Annual Report Inspector• Ensured alignment between Commission and other countywide initiatives • Subcommittees: Trying Youth as Adults and Delinquency-Prevention

Sacramento, California Area

The Budget Act of 2015 allocates $6,000,000 to the BSCC to administer the new grant program. The Executive Steering Committee (ESC) was tasked with creating a request for proposals (RFP), reading & scoring the 46 proposals received, and allocating funds. As a group of subject matter experts, the ESC was committed to creating an RFP that promoted equity, encouraged communities to use both best practices and innovation, and promoted trust between law enforcement and communities.

Santa Cruz, Ca

• Participation, facilitation and coordination of multi-disciplinary collaborative tables working to decrease and end homelessness• Policy research • Advocacy for system change, reallocation of resources, and best practices • Community education and engagement

• Program support and development• Outreach, marketing and coordination of special events• Intern/ volunteer outreach, training, and supervision• Policy research and advocacy at local, statewide, and national levels• Community education and engagement• Participation in multi-disciplinary collaborative tables that focused on juvenile and adult justice issues, including Santa Cruz County’s Parole Reentry Team, Youth Violence Prevention Task Force, and Community Corrections Partnership• Guest lecturer in sociology and psychology courses at Cabrillo College and UC Santa Cruz

• Counseled educationally and financially disadvantaged students and directed them towards resources• Coordinated Peer Mentor Program: mentor/mentee matching, program support, training and evaluation • Workshop development and presentation

Masters Of Advanced Study, Criminology, Law & Society

Bachelors, Social Psychology, Honors

Activities and Societies: • Golden Key International Honour Society

Associates, Communications & Psychology, High Honors

Activities and Societies: Alpha Gamma Sigma