Social Connection Fellow
Sarah is incredibly excited to join the Foundation for Social Connection as a Social Connection Fellow in Research & Innovation. She is currently pursuing a dual graduate degree in public health and social work (MPH/MSW) at New York University. Sarah is passionate about reducing the global impact of the loneliness epidemic, and increasing access to social connection in communities by engaging at the individual, community, and systemic levels – and she is proud that her work spans all three levels. She recently completed her second social work field placement at a community health center in Bronx, NY providing outpatient psychotherapy to community members. She is also a Community Lead for Skip the Small Talk, where she facilitates inclusive events with the mission of connecting strangers and reducing loneliness. In her public health graduate program and research assistant positions, she’s developed research methods, systems thinking, intervention design, and evaluation expertise which she’s excited to grow. Sarah is excited to bring this combination of clinical mental health work, community facilitation, and public health expertise to the Foundation and learn more about the world of social connection!
When she’s not talking about social connection and loneliness, Sarah is usually taking long walks around her neighborhood in Williamsburg, Brooklyn; reading a good historical fiction novel; planning fun and meaningful gatherings with friends; singing her heart out in karaoke; sweating at a bootcamp fitness class; watching (or talking about) her favorite Bravo shows; or drinking a hot mug of tea!
What drives you to work on addressing social isolation & loneliness / fostering social connection?
Before attending graduate school, Sarah worked in the school mental health field, and it was during this time that she witnessed just how impactful a person’s access to social connection is to their mental and overall wellbeing. She also believes that loneliness is an experience that everyone had at one point in their lives, which makes it an issue that we truly have the capacity to invest in and improve – which gives her hope!