Reflections
Catalyst For Collaboration And Empathy
“Sarah brings an ethical and collaborative approach to her work. She is a master at having hard conversations, bringing folks along to fulfill the vision, and implementing it. When our positions required us to have empathy and to go above and beyond, Sarah would always show up. I am confident in her ability to exceed expectations in any endeavor she’s tasked with.”
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Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe
San Diego County Board of Supervisors
​Strategic Leadership With Political Savvy
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"As County Supervisor, I've had the opportunity to work with Sarah on a variety of issues. Her ability to navigate complex challenges while uniting diverse perspectives - from constituents to elected officials with differing philosophies - proved invaluable. Sarah's approach of active listening, desire for continuous improvement of services, mentoring of staff, and practical problem-solving, has consistently moved our County organization forward. Her leadership as Interim CAO, during a critical time of transition, was incredible and I was so pleased she was at the helm considering how rocky the road was during that timeframe with the issues we faced. Her strategic mindset and knack for fixing things will undoubtedly benefit any organization working with her."
Supervisor Joel Anderson
San Diego County Board of Supervisors
​Organizational Change Management
Transformational Leadership
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“Sarah's leadership as the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for the Land Use and Environment Group was transformative. Her efforts have been pivotal in creating a more sustainable and resilient future for our region. Sarah's ability to lead with integrity and compassion made her the clear choice to step in as Interim CAO for the County - and yet again Sarah set a high standard for public service that will be felt for years to come.
Thank you, Sarah, for everything you have done for our county, for being a champion for our community, and for the gift of telling hard truths to a new and restless County Supervisor. We will miss you at 1600 Pacific Highway.”
Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer
San Diego County Board of Supervisors
Empowering Solutions Through Strategic Insight
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"With each opportunity that I have had to work with Sarah over the past two decades, I have learned more about her ability to listen to a problem, gather facts and then focus on quickly developing a list of potential resolutions to any problem.
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She has an innate way of mixing common sense strategy with objective vision in order to create sustainable solutions. Her skillset is a combination of listening, empathy and operational knowledge which enables her to develop plans that address simple or complex situations."
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Mitch Mitchell
Senior Vice President
Chief Legislative Officer
SDG&E, SoCalGas
Guiding Growth And Innovation
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“Thank you for your leadership and service to the County organization and the community. You built a high performing team that is focused on navigating complex issues to achieve successful outcomes and we will keep it going. We will keep moving forward the disciplines you mentored us on, continuing to innovate, improve our processes and service delivery, and ensure our actions are guided by what’s the right thing to do for the communities we serve. Thank you for all your mentoring, coaching and investment in my professional and personal growth over the past 18 years. I’ve learned so much because of you. We will miss you!”
Amy Harbert
Director
Department of Environmental Health & Quality
County of San Diego
Visionary Regional Strategist
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"Working with Sarah Aghassi in her capacity as Interim Chief Administrative Officer of the County of San Diego was an exceptional experience. In a period of great uncertainty for the County, Sarah provided much-needed stability and assembled a team that helped ensure the successful completion and adoption of the San Diego County Housing Blueprint by the Board of Supervisors. She is not only a skilled leader but also a visionary regional strategist with deep expertise in critical areas such as climate resiliency, workforce development, and land use planning. Sarah’s ability to harness her operational experience, political acumen, and advanced technologies to craft innovative solutions is unmatched. On a personal level, Sarah is warm, thoughtful, and direct, always delivering clear, organized insights. She is everything you could ask for in a trusted collaborator."
Jennifer LeSar
Founder and CEO
LeSar Portfolio of Firms
Bridging Interests
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​“As Sarah Aghassi moves from the public to the private sector, she brings unique skills. After working with her on complex policy issues for many years, I know that Sarah is always prepared, with a mastery of the facts and nuances. As an organizational leader, she focused on pragmatic solutions, with creative thinking, and a deep understanding of the political landscape. Always open, she brings respect for diverse interests and integrity to her work."
Dan Silver
Executive Director
Endangered Habitats League
Inspiring Leadership And Team Success
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​“You have been the most tremendous leader, Sarah. Your consistent support, guidance and commitment to doing the right thing has been a North Star for us all. I cannot thank you enough for being the mentor I needed to be the professional, and the person, I strive to be. And I know many others would say the same. While you may have moved on, your influence will remain with the people you changed for the better and the organization you built.”
Dahvia Lynch
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer
Land Use and Environment Group
County of San Diego
Collaborative Leader with Proven Ability to Solve Complex Challenges
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​“Having worked closely with Sarah for over 15 years in a highly complex and demanding government environment, I always found her to be collaborative and committed to helping others through an amazingly talented leadership ability and intelligence to solve big enterprise problems with equal ability to motivate others and help them solve their own personal challenges in the workplace and community.”
Nick Macchione
Chief Health Officer, UC San Diego Health
Former Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Health and Human Services Agency Director, County of San Diego