Sarah S. Pearson Email & Phone Number

Alexandria, VA

• Advise federal leaders and tribal representatives on the Tribal Law and Order Act (TLOA) tribal action plan (TAP) to address alcohol and substance misuse.
• Guide a team of Native professionals on community readiness, community systems analysis, and strategic planning to enhance outcomes for 320 urban and rural tribal youth programs that have received SAMHSA's Tribal.
• Implement SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework (assessment, capacity, planning, implementation, evaluation) to mobilize community systems and services.
• Develop a toolkit comprising webinars, templates, examples, fact sheets, and policy and program guidance.
• Conduct train-the-trainer sessions for the development, assessment, and implementation of grantee program action plans.
• Initiate and launch the NC National Learning Community, a platform for peer-to-peer sharing and learning.

Rockville, Maryland, United States

• Advised SAMHSA-led interdepartmental Indian Alcohol and Substance Abuse (IASA) Coordinating Committee authorized by the TLOA.
• Attended TLOA-IASA meetings to enhance coordination and communication among federal departments and provide recommendations under the IASA Memorandum of Agreement.
• Led seven workgroups to produce strategic work plans in areas such as TAP-Federal Response, Federal Resources, Communications, Native Youth Empowerment and Wellness, Minimum Program Standards, Data, and Public Safety.
• Authored articles for the IASA newsletter to tribes, promoting news on relevant federal funding.
• Produced outreach materials for the Office of Tribal Affairs and Policy, including graphics and design, social media messages, and technical support for the Culture and Meth Don’t Mix initiative.
• Traveled to tribal nations to lead TTA on TLOA TAP.

Alexandra, VA

• Led a national team of Natives and non-Natives to deliver TAP TTA to federally recognized tribes.
• Produced culturally relevant TAP training using digital media tools for tribal teams and federal leadership.
• Developed strategic action plan training for SAMHSA’s tribal behavioral health program, Native Connections.
• Advised on the Indian Health Service’s behavioral health strategic plan 2015-2020.

Center For Juvenile Justice Reform

• Co-authored and managed the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) Smart on Crime grant ($250K), leading to development of curriculum for the Juvenile Diversion Certificate Program.
• Collaborated with state and local teams of juvenile prosecutors, law enforcement, and court professionals to provide guidance on diversion programming for at-risk and court-involved youth.
• Supported Juvenile Prosecutors Leadership Network, facilitating discussions on adolescent brain development, innovative diversion programs, ethical charging decisions, school-to-prison pipeline, and application of.

Washington, DC

• Advised federal leaders on responsibilities related to the TLOA TAP for Alternatives to Incarceration, Detention, and Reentry, the TLOA TAP, and the government-to-government relationship with tribes.
• Participated in tribal consultations and meetings of various committees and workgroups, including the Coordinating Council for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile.
• Developed a PowerPoint presentation and script used by the Associate Attorney General to introduce DOJ’s new Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation, which consolidated multiple federal grant solicitations into one.
• Collaborated with TTA providers to organize and implement the National Intertribal Youth Summit, attracting over 250 youth participants.
• Assisted in the establishment of a new federal office under the TLOA and managed a $375K fellowship grant.

Alexandria, VA

The ACAs' mission is to lead and advocate for cultural development within the City of Alexandria and the surrounding region. The Commission is a grant-making advisory group for the City of Alexandria and issues annually a Guide to Funding containing information on the grant process, eligibility, and application instructions. Grants are made in support of.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

• Fostered relationships among national, state, and local organization leaders, promoting CCS resources and events to enhance understanding and support for community schools.
• Established policy advocacy workgroup of CCS partners to lead development of the Full-Service Community School Act and the DIPLOMA Act.
• Led W.K. Kellogg Foundation-supported initiative national workgroup to create the Early Childhood and Community Schools Linkages Project, a framework for aligning systems and services at the state and local levels.
• Managed staff, a budget of $3M, grant deliverables, and organized CCS’s first national conference, attracting over 2000 education thought leaders, practitioners, and researchers.

American Youth Policy Forum

• Awarded grant from the OJJDP to conduct original research on DOJ’s Tribal Youth Program (TYP), a culturally based prevention program for Native youth.
• Produced a report with program and policy recommendations based on-site visits and interviews with various stakeholders.
• The report was presented at a Senate Committee hearing in 2009, and the TYP budget has since doubled from fiscal year 2008 levels.

• Raised funds for youth and Native youth civic education programs that provide opportunities for underprivileged youth from across the United States to visit key sites in the nation’s capital.
• Cultivated relationships with corporate and private foundations.

• Directed educational programming and networking events, including speakers’ panels, roundtable discussions, and site visits nationwide for Congressional and federal staff, and Washington thinktank leaders.
• Produced national reports, articles, and briefs summarizing policy, practice, and research highlights.
• Evaluated best practices for education, service-learning, civic engagement, and youth programs at the federal, state, and local levels and served as a grant peer reviewer for multiple federal agencies.
• Acquired and managed public and private grants ranging from $35K to $450K.

• Represented America’s Choice school reform model to various stakeholders. The model has been implemented in 2,000 schools across 38 states.
• Supported the development of TTA materials for a standards-driven curriculum.

M.Ed., Educational Psychology

Through this Master's program, Sarah studied education psychology and socioeconomic impact on academic achievement, and education models.

Executive Certififcate, Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management

Activities and Societies: Marketing for nonprofits, fundraising, leadership, finance, and operational practices for nonprofits.The.

Ba, Design

Master Of Education - Med, Education Psychology