Tell me about your work or specialty.
Over time I have grown to enjoy being a generalist. I think about my work in two ways what pays the bills and what I spend my skills on, and they are often intertwined but not always related. I had my first child immediately after I finished my master’s degree in public policy I had also moved to Red Hook which isn’t anywhere close to the big cities where the best public policy jobs tend to be. I began volunteering in local government, and eventually picked up work as a local government reporter for a newspaper, which led to being the managing editor of that paper until it closed due to economic pressures.
Since then, my career has been in non-profits, and I eventually learned how to write grants for the last 7 years I have worked in higher education fundraising and program development. But meanwhile also in local government, as a town council member, Democratic Committee member (now chair), and on other committees (Communications, Local Waterfront Revitalization Program), and now I am a Trustee in my home Village of Tivoli. I see this as my work even though it is volunteering often the roles are complementary and I use the same skills in each, just in different ways. I like having both avenues!
How'd you get to where you are now?
When I look back, everything feels connected, but of course it often didn’t when I was making some of the big decisions that led me here. In college I followed my passion for history, but my jobs were always in development (since my first job in high school filing in the Bennington College Institutional Advancement Office). A few years into my first job, my supervisor, who was also a mentor, started encouraging me to pursue public policy. I think she saw how interested I was in politics, and that I have always had a deep interest in my work meaning something, like having an impact on people’s lived experiences.
I had never heard of public policy, but the more I looked into it, I realized it was a great fit for me. Much later, after my job with the newspaper ended because the paper folded, a friend of a friend offered me a job as a researcher at a presidential library archive, which eventually led me to a grant writing gig.
Looking back, I can see the two main themes are that I understood and gravitated toward the mechanics and relational nature of development (fundraising) work, and I really enjoy writing things in a way that translates complicated ideas into manageable information that people can then act upon. My main takeaway from that circuitous path is that it’s a good idea to follow what interests you, and also to be open to good mentorship and help from your network that the more you rely on these networks and feedback, the more opportunities come your way.
What surprises you in your work, now or in the past?
It still surprises me how much it matters to work with people that treat others with basic respect and kindness. You can feel it when you join a team that operates with mutual goodwill and clear expectations. The same basic skills come in handy again and again: be kind to everyone ask for help when you need it show up consistently. You can learn everything else with time!
Any other interests or pursuits (big or small)?
In addition to local politics and volunteerism, I have been a soccer coach for 11 years and still really enjoy it. It is one of the most fulfilling volunteer roles I have had and another area where I have been able to practice leadership and learn from others. I have learned so much as a coach.
I love poetry it’s the main reason I still have Instagram, I just follow poets, therapists, astrologers, activists, and friends. :) Some favorites are: Maggie Smith, Mary Oliver, Andrea Gibson, John O’Donohue, Nikki Giovanni, Wendell Berry, Harry Baker, and Saeed Jones.
I also play flute and sing with a Hootenanny that has reminded me how much I LOVE playing music. This is another area where, if you play with a group, themes of self-awareness, interdependence, deep listening, and respect show up. But it’s also just plain fun and a creative outlet. I especially love that we don’t record anything - it’s all about the moment. It’s rarely perfect (although sometimes transcendent), it’s about the process of creating together.
What drives you crazy?
When people working in government and politics make it harder for the public to participate. I think there is room for all the disagreement and discussion that is bound to take place when groups get together, and we should make it easier to participate, not more confusing. I hate repeating myself. I have an allergic reaction to people that make other people feel small.
Who inspires you? (it can be anybody you know, or don't know)
My friends, many of whom are working hard, raising kids, doing their best to show up in the world with a little kindness and generosity -- I’m finding that in adulthood the way my friends show up for me and one another is truly lifesaving.
My kids inspire me - mainly that I want to live a life that is worthy of their respect. Women like Eleanor Roosevelt and the poet Mary Oliver who experienced some major pain at some point, but managed to do some good in the world anyway. People who study human nature and behavior and hypothesize ways we can get along better, like almost every guest on Krista Tippet’s podcast On Being.
You're a trailblazer - what are some career highlights to date? (And if any challenges or new directions, please share...)
> Managing Editor for The Observer (now closed): coordinated newspaper coverage for a five-town area, including school districts >Edited and expanded FDR: Day by Day: a timeline of FDR’s (long) presidency that draws from his Presidential Library archives to serve up information for every single day of his presidency
> Grants Administrator for Bard Early College: 10 early college-high school partnerships that provide the opportunity for under-served students to earn college credit (and associate’s degrees) while in high school
> Grants & Project Manager in the Office of Research, Innovation, and Economic Development at SUNY: working with campuses in the SUNY system to expand an incredible research portfolio I just changed jobs to that last role, and it was supposed to have a lot to do with federal funding, which obviously is quite precarious now. As usual, flexibility is key, so I’m currently leaning more on the project manager part of the role and working on some large projects where funding is secured. I’m proud to work for an institution (SUNY) that is deeply involved in research and workforce development - we need all parts of that continuum of education in order for our state, and our country, to thrive.
Words of wisdom or advice...final thoughts, anything else?
In times of uncertainty and in easy times, the same values have pulled me through: being kind and working hard to bring my most authentic self into my family life, work, and volunteering. It took me a long time to learn how to be comfortable being myself without thinking that I needed to contort into what others might want from me. But I am finding that the more I journey into my own authenticity and integrity the more energy and joy I have for all the aspects of my life and for giving to others. “Only connect,” are some words I live by from E.M. Forster. Relatedly, it’s really important to show up: to the funeral, to the wedding, to the public hearing, to the birthday party.
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Sarah Imboden lives and works in the Hudson Valley, where she is: a mom to three school-age kids, a village trustee in Tivoli, the chair of her local Democratic Committee, a soccer coach, and a proud member of a part-time trivia team and a weekly Hootenanny. She is a Grants and Project Manager with the SUNY System, where she works out of (alternately) her house and that neat castle in downtown Albany to support SUNY’s mission to double its research impact. She believes in the power of a life rooted in community. Find her on LinkedIn.
(published 2025)
