Her Story
About Sarah
Sarah McNay is a Business Analyst at Foley Equipment in Wichita, Kansas, where she has spent the past seven years leading cross-functional initiatives that strengthen operations, finance, and compliance across the organization. Rather than viewing her role through a narrow lens, she approaches her industry from a broad, top-down vantage point, translating stakeholder input and everyday business narratives into measurable data that drives meaningful change. Her work centers on standardizing workflows, developing sound documentation, and preparing teams for audit readiness, all while keeping the customer experience at the heart of every process she touches. With more than two decades of professional experience spanning operations, finance, and nonprofit management, she has built a reputation for taking complicated systems and making them simple, functional, and sustainable.
McNay's academic foundation includes a Bachelor of Arts in European History from Wichita State University, earned in 2000, followed by a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from Baker University in 2003. That combination of historical analysis and business strategy has shaped her ability to read patterns, connect disparate pieces of information, and communicate across every level of an organization. She holds HR certifications, including a credential in diversity and inclusive leadership, and maintains active involvement with PMI Wichita and PMI National. Her professional path has been anything but linear, having moved through roles in bookkeeping, marketing, nonprofit administration, and operations before settling into business process improvement, and she credits that varied background with giving her a fuller understanding of how organizations function as interconnected wholes rather than isolated departments.
Beyond her career, McNay is deeply committed to community service, supporting the Alzheimer's Association and previously serving in a marketing and events leadership role for its Central & Western Kansas chapter, where she helped drive significant gains in both revenue and participation. She has also contributed her time to the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce's Business Services Advisory Council and the American Diabetes Association's local leadership board. Outside of her professional and philanthropic pursuits, she finds joy in remodeling and decorating her home, exploring art, and cheering on the New York Yankees. She often credits her parents' early encouragement, particularly their insistence that she pursue education and never let obstacles stand in her way, as the foundation for the confidence and determination that continue to define both her career and her outlook on life.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Sarah
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my parents. My mother was very much a product of the 1960s, and she always encouraged me to get out there, do things, not let anyone stop me, and pursue my education. My father reinforced that same belief — he told me that as his daughter, I could do anything I set my mind to, and that I should get out there and do it.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I've received is not to be afraid to try something new. If you take a chance on something and it doesn't work out, you can always pivot, adjust, and figure out your next step from there. But if you never try, you'll never know whether it could have worked.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I'd offer two pieces of advice. First, who you are today does not define who you're going to be tomorrow. My own career path has been quite varied, but if you sit down and map out where you've been, you'll start to find the common threads that reveal who you really are. Second, treat people with the respect you'd want for yourself, regardless of their sex, creed, or nationality — that respect will take you far in life.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges — which is really also an opportunity — is helping people understand that just because something has always been done a certain way doesn't mean it has to continue that way. Processes that haven't been revisited since, say, 2006 are overdue for a fresh look; just as my own life has changed since then, most businesses have too. That gives us the opportunity to step back, reassess our strategy, and identify where everyone fits into the bigger picture. I often tell people that an organization isn't a waffle, made up of separate, individual pieces — it's more like a strand of spaghetti, where the customer enters at one end and exits at the other, and all of us work along that same chain to improve their experience and help the business thrive.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
In my work, I value respect and understanding — not just recognizing who other people are and what they need, but also understanding who I am and what I need. In my personal life, I hold onto the belief that I was created exactly as I am for a reason, imperfections included, and that trusting the path I've been given is the way forward.
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