Her Story
About Sara
Sara Irish is a nonprofit social services professional with more than 25 years of experience in community engagement and early learning recovery work. Currently serving as Director of Community Engagement at the Multicultural Child & Family Hope Center in Tacoma, Washington, she has built her career on cultivating relationships with community organizations, funders, parents, and elected officials to strengthen the ways families are served. Her path into this work began after she relocated to Washington and put her bilingual abilities to use, discovering a passion for social services and community-based collaboration that has shaped the rest of her career. Prior roles include several years as a Growth and Community Engagement Specialist with Molina Healthcare of Washington and nearly seven years as an Organizer and Parent Engagement Coordinator with Stand for Children.
Academically, Irish holds a kindergarten teaching degree along with a background in communications, and she has continued to expand her expertise over the years through self-guided study, mentorship, and ongoing professional training. As an immigrant woman of color, she has approached her career with the belief that extra effort was required to reach the same recognition as her peers, and she credits that determination — paired with a refusal to settle into outdated habits — as the foundation of her professional growth. One of the moments she considers most meaningful in her career was being invited back to an organization she had previously worked for, after a funder recognized her capabilities and offered her an expanded role with greater compensation.
Outside of her accomplishments, Irish is guided by a strong personal philosophy centered on boundaries, self-care, and intentional relationships. She believes deeply in protecting the separation between professional and personal life, and in being thoughtful about the people she surrounds herself with. To women just starting out in her field, she offers encouragement to remain curious, creative, and committed to finding better ways to help others — while cautioning against the trap of working harder than the very clients they aim to serve. Looking ahead, she remains candid about the funding pressures facing the nonprofit sector, anticipating that shifting political priorities will make sustaining community services increasingly difficult in the years to come.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Sara
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to a constant drive to improve. As an immigrant woman of color, I've had to work three times as hard as others to accomplish my goals, so I've made it a point to keep striving for excellence. For me, it isn't about competing with anyone else — it's a personal commitment to becoming better and to being recognized as an equal.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I've received is to never stop learning, to always look for better ways of doing things, and to avoid becoming attached to old habits.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I encourage young women entering this field to stay open-minded and creative, and to always look for better ways to serve. There is always a way forward if you're willing to put in the work — but it's important never to work harder than the clients you're serving.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Beyond the doubt people sometimes face in this work, funding remains the biggest challenge. Nonprofit funding is already difficult, and I expect it to become even harder next year, as current political shifts threaten support for the community services we provide.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Setting clear boundaries matters most to me — knowing when it's time for work and when it's time for my personal life, taking care of myself as a whole person, and being selective about who I choose to associate with.
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