Sarah Barnes as a Child

Sarah Barnes

Title: Senior Director of Policy

Sarah Barnes is the ​Senior Director of Policy at the Colorado Children’s Campaign. Sarah initially joined the Children’s Campaign in 2014 as a policy analyst, and became our Manager of Special Policy Initiatives in 2018. In that role, she worked across the organization and with external stakeholders to develop and oversee the implementation of the Children Campaign’s engagement on strategic policy priorities, including in the areas of family economic security, housing, and adolescent behavioral health. She also served as Director of Family Economic Prosperity Initiatives, leading the Children’s Campaign’s family economic prosperity portfolio, coordinating our internal workgroup on the issue area, and working together with partners and community members to develop and implement policies that promote economic well-being for all families in Colorado

Prior to joining the Children’s Campaign, Sarah taught middle school English and worked as an Interventionist at Pioneer Charter School in Denver. She was a 2011 Teach For America corps member. Before teaching, Sarah worked as an attorney in Denver. Sarah earned a BA in English from Midland University and a J.D. from the University of Michigan. In her free time, you can find her at a yoga class, hanging out with a good work of fiction, or in the garden.


Things You May Not Know:

Hometown: North Bend, Nebraska
College: Midland University, University of Michigan Law School
Major: English, J.D.
Favorite Children's Book: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Favorite Thing About Life In Colorado: So many ways to get outdoors!
Favorite Denver Restaurant: Raices Brewing Company
Worst Job You’ve Ever Had: Detasseling corn by hand.
Dream Job: Owner of a used bookstore.
Job You Wouldn't Do In A Million Years: Anything involving spiders.
Your Greatest Extravagance: Buying books.
Favorite Colorado Getaway: Any place with great hiking trails.
Favorite Sports Team: Nebraska Cornhuskers and Michigan Wolverines
Favorite News Personality: Nina Totenberg
Night Owl or Early Bird: Night Owl
Thing You Can’t Live Without: Coffee and Books
Favorite Book: To Kill a Mockingbird
Talent You Would Most Like To Have: To speak another language really well.