Q&A with Kim Sarro

Q: When did you join the Partnership and what initially encouraged you to join the team?

I joined the Partnership in July of 2022. I’ve worked in education for my whole career, both as a classroom teacher and for nonprofits where I supported students and teachers alike. I’m deeply passionate about educational equity, but am acutely aware that for true transformation in our education systems and beyond, it’s going to require collaboration from other sectors. The Partnership is doing something really unique in bringing together stakeholders that wouldn’t normally work together for this common goal of increasing equity across the region, and I was drawn to that mission.

Q: What motivates you to jump out of bed and get to work each morning?

I’m values and mission driven to my core. I need my work to be having an impact on my community, and that motivates me. I’m also a people person, motivated by my relationships, particularly when it comes to relationships with people who share in my values and mission. That’s part of why I’m so excited to be a part of the Partnership and to be able to collaborate with so many passionate people.

Q: In what ways do you think you can continue to grow as a professional at the Partnership? On the flipside, how do you want to help the Partnership grow?

I’ve worked in the public sector with teachers, school administrators and nonprofit employees for my whole career, so I’m excited to learn how to navigate the corporate world through my work at the Partnership. I know that CEOs, HR leaders and other private sector employees are crucial in the fight for equity, and I’m excited to collaborate alongside people with such different professional experiences to my own. I want to flex my educational experience, however, at the Partnership and use my extensive knowledge of schools to implement programs that serve the needs of businesses and educational institutions simultaneously.

Q: If you could snap your fingers and solve any issue or hurdle you’ve encountered in the Capital Region, what would it be and why?

It’s a pervasive issue in education as a whole, but from my time working in DCPS, I know that young people in the region need an opportunity to explore things that they’re interested in while they’re in school. Providing students with chances to discover their interests is often put on the back burner, and students suffer as a result. So many students leave high school without understanding what it is that they like which leads to lack of clarity about next steps after graduation. This, to me, is a massive barrier in the fight for equity.

Q: What is your favorite activity / place around the Capital Region?

I love the museums in DC, specifically the Natural History Museum and the National Portrait Gallery. The contemporary art section of the Portrait Gallery is one of my favorite places to spend a few hours- I like to pretend I understand the art there even though it truly flies over my head!