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Sarah Jacobs

Sarah Jacobs

Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Overview

As Husch Blackwell’s director of diversity, equity, and inclusion, Sarah works to create and support lasting, sustainable change at the firm and its clients.

The daughter and great-granddaughter of immigrants from India and Poland, Sarah grew up immersed in DE&I concepts—even if she didn’t have those words at the time. With professor parents, a mother committed to social justice and systems impact, and a father who was passionate about philosophy, as well as a diverse group of family friends, Sarah learned to see the world through multiple lenses and appreciate the value of inclusion.

While growing a leadership career in public media, Sarah began serving on DE&I professional committees in 2010. She quickly found DE&I work to be a field full of possibility and meaning and began to see it as her life’s purpose. In 2020, she accepted a full-time DE&I role as diversity, equity, and inclusion manager for UnityPoint Health-Meriter, where she directed DE&I strategy and deployed the organization’s first DE&I strategic plan. Sarah went on to be a key contributor to UPH Enterprise-level DEI strategic plan creation, including leading development of UPH Enterprise’s first, mandatory DE&I overview course, required for approximately 28,000 team members across three states.

Recognizing the foundational role the legal system and legal industry play in equity in our society, Sarah was eager to join DE&I at Husch Blackwell— an AmLaw 100 firm and a place where DE&I principles are truly at the organization’s core—in 2024. She is especially excited about the impactful investments the firm has made in DE&I and the strong support across leadership for our holistic DE&I strategy.

In her role as director, Sarah supports Husch Blackwell’s DE&I team in growing DE&I efforts at the firm to integrate DE&I in every aspect of everything we do. Her aim is to serve as an advisor, coach, and catalyst, helping to foster tangible action for long-term, sustainable change. In addition to internal investments in DE&I, Husch Blackwell develops community relationships and investments and partners with clients on their own DE&I journeys, helping them develop and foster truly diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces.

Recognition

  • Wisconsin’s Most Influential Asian American Leaders, 2022
  • UW Colleges and Extension Chancellor’s Inclusive Excellence and Diversity Award, 2017

Education

  • B.A., University of Wisconsin-Madison

Professional Memberships and Certifications

  • Madison Area Diversity Roundtable
  • Certified Professional Co-Active Coach

Languages

  • Spanish, proficient
Outside the Office

When she’s not at work, Sarah enjoys yoga, meditation, time in nature, and—most of all—time with family and friends, especially her young son and husband. She likes to expand her understanding of different identities and experiences as well as connections with others though books, podcasts, and community events.

Sarah also enjoys helping with her husband’s business, a family-owned and run, mission-driven bookstore with a goal of fostering accessible literacy. She helps with store strategy and book stocking and oversees the store’s kids’ room. Sarah absolutely loves helping kids and their caregivers have access to books, for the joy of reading and recognizing how childhood literacy impacts long-term equity.