Her Story
About Sarah
Sarah E. Goff, MSN, APRN, CEN, FNP-C, is an emergency medicine nurse practitioner and Army Reserve Nurse Corps Officer dedicated to providing care in rural and underserved communities. She currently works in emergency medicine in Mississippi while serving as a nurse corps officer in the United States Army Reserve. Her professional focus combines emergency care, rural healthcare, military medicine, disaster response, and efforts to improve access to quality healthcare for communities with limited resources. She is particularly passionate about humanitarian assistance and the opportunity to contribute to disaster response and healthcare initiatives both within the United States and internationally.
Goff's healthcare career began with her experience as an athletic trainer at Mississippi State University, where she was introduced to emergency medical services and earned her EMT certification. Her interest in emergency response led her to become a volunteer firefighter and eventually work as an ER technician at a trauma center. Inspired by the nurses she encountered in the emergency department, she pursued nursing, earning an associate nursing degree at a community college before completing her BSN through the University of Mississippi. She subsequently developed extensive emergency and nursing leadership experience, including roles in Level I trauma environments, nursing supervision, rapid response, and healthcare management. After working as a travel nurse during the COVID-19 period, she moved into nursing leadership in Louisville, Kentucky, while completing her Master of Science in Nursing and Family Nurse Practitioner training at the University of Louisville.
Today, Goff combines her civilian healthcare career with her service in the Army Reserve, where she continues to develop her military medical expertise and pursue opportunities for humanitarian and disaster-response work. Her professional journey has been shaped by a strong commitment to service and by the belief that meaningful change begins with individual actions that create lasting "ripples" in the lives of others. Her dedication to service also extends beyond her professional roles, including previous work with the Mississippi State Medical Response System's FAST Team and as a volunteer firefighter/EMT. As a mother, she is equally motivated by the example she wants to set for her son and by the example her own parents established for her: to give of oneself, serve others, and put more good into the world.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Sarah
01What do you attribute your success to?
### 1. What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to a desire to create positive ripples in the lives of others. I think of one decision or one action as a drop in the ocean that can create ripples extending far beyond what we can see. Even when we cannot see the effects immediately, those ripples can continue to reach and influence people in ways we may never know.
I have also been very privileged in my life, and I feel a responsibility to give back and repay the goodness I have experienced. Becoming a parent has strengthened that sense of responsibility because I want to set a positive example for my son. My own parents were tremendous examples for me. They have always been generous, giving of themselves, and committed to being good people, and I want to carry that example forward.
Ultimately, I believe success is about putting more good into the world and using the opportunities I have been given to make a meaningful difference.
### 2. What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Not provided.
### 3. What advice would you give to young women entering your industry / Advice to the Next Generation?
Although I did not provide a specific response framed as advice to young women, my experience has reinforced the importance of being visible, engaged, and willing to advocate for meaningful change. Throughout my nursing leadership experience, I saw female leaders making significant changes because they were present on the floor, understood the challenges their teams were facing, and were willing to advocate for protocol changes and greater visibility for nursing staff.
I believe future healthcare leaders should remain engaged with the people they serve, understand problems firsthand, and have the courage to speak up when change is needed.
### 4. What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the greatest challenges I see is access to healthcare in rural and underserved communities. Large portions of Mississippi are rural healthcare deserts, and many people have to travel significant distances to receive care. Limited resources and the difficulty of transferring patients to major medical centers create additional challenges.
At the same time, this creates an important opportunity to find new ways to bring quality healthcare closer to people's homes. Nurse practitioners can play an important role in bridging this gap and expanding access to care. I also see significant opportunities through military healthcare, particularly in humanitarian assistance and disaster response both within the United States and internationally.
### 5. What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I value service, compassion, leadership, family, responsibility, and making a positive impact on others. I believe in putting more good into the world and using the opportunities and privileges I have been given to help others.
My parents have been an important example of these values because they have consistently demonstrated what it means to be good people who give of themselves. Becoming a parent has reinforced these values for me because I want my son to remember not only what I accomplished, but who I was and the example I set for him.
Service is also central to my professional life. Whether through rural healthcare, emergency medicine, military healthcare, disaster response, or humanitarian assistance, I want my work to create positive ripples that reach people beyond what I may personally see.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
One of the greatest challenges I see is access to healthcare in rural and underserved communities. Large portions of Mississippi are rural healthcare deserts, and many people have to travel significant distances to receive care. Limited resources and the difficulty of transferring patients to major medical centers create additional challenges.
At the same time, this creates an important opportunity to find new ways to bring quality healthcare closer to people's homes. Nurse practitioners can play an important role in bridging this gap and expanding access to care. I also see significant opportunities through military healthcare, particularly in humanitarian assistance and disaster response both within the United States and internationally.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I value service, compassion, leadership, family, responsibility, and making a positive impact on others. I believe in putting more good into the world and using the opportunities and privileges I have been given to help others.
My parents have been an important example of these values because they have consistently demonstrated what it means to be good people who give of themselves. Becoming a parent has reinforced these values for me because I want my son to remember not only what I accomplished, but who I was and the example I set for him.
Service is also central to my professional life. Whether through rural healthcare, emergency medicine, military healthcare, disaster response, or humanitarian assistance, I want my work to create positive ripples that reach people beyond what I may personally see.
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