Sarah Ali has a background in education and leadership with 20 years of experience as a teacher, principal, university lecturer, strategist and philanthropic advisor. She draws upon her experience in diverse school settings and communities to guide partners to merge theory into practice. These experiences coupled with her commitment to justice, attention to critical pedagogy, and participatory processes allow Sarah to do what she loves—engage as a thought partner toward strong outcomes for youth and communities. In recent years she shifted her focus from school-based leadership to philanthropic efforts that prioritize transformative social impact. She manages the youth economic inclusion portfolio of the Ric and Suzanne Kayne Foundation and oversees the strategy for Treehouse Impact Group, a nonprofit organization working to achieve equitable housing security and opportunities for community members to thrive in Los Angeles
Sarah is a graduate of Loyola Marymount University with a B.A. in Political Science and M.A. in School Administration. Previous governance roles include: Board Chair and Interim Executive Director for Snap Foundation; Board Secretary for the SEED School of Los Angeles, a college-prep public boarding school; Co-Chair of the Los Angeles Postsecondary Funders Collaborative; and President of Friends of Playa Vista School. She is an active member of the Board of Visitors in the School of Education at Loyola Marymount University and serves on the Board of Dreamhaus, a non-profit organization that provides arts & community programming in South Central Los Angeles.