Sarah Walsh [she/her]

Rise on Boards | Cohort 9

Sarah Walsh is a thoughtful and driven public servant with a passion for science policy, gender equality, and innovation that drives Canada forward. In her current role, as a Senior Programs Officer at the Canada Foundation for Innovation in the Research Facilities team, she helps shape funding strategies and programs for national research facilities and builds strong partnerships across government, academia, and international organizations. She works with colleagues across departments to ensure oversight of multi-million dollar grants and to communicate the impacts of research. Sarah also leads the CFI’s Data Working Group and organizes its annual Major Science Initiatives Fund workshop.

She holds a Master’s in Public and International Affairs from the University of Ottawa, which she completed part-time while working full-time. This followed her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Business from the University of Waterloo, which included a memorable study abroad in Liverpool, UK that inspired a love of tea, a strong dislike of rain, and a marriage to her British husband, Jack. Whether drafting policy briefs, mentoring colleagues, or coordinating events for Canada's top researchers and science diplomats, Sarah brings her kind and curious nature to everything she does.