Sara Guillermo
IGNITE

Personal Bio

Sara Guillermo, Executive Director of IGNITE. Sara has been instrumental in growing IGNITE from a small high school-based program in the California Bay Area to the largest most diverse young women’s political leadership program in the country. Sara’s previous leadership positions at Seeking Common Ground, Aspire Public Schools and buildOn informed her passion and expertise in community service, youth leadership development, and program management. Sara has been recognized in the New York Times, ABC News, and NPR. As a breast cancer survivor, Sara is deeply committed to reforming local health care policies and systems, which is why she serves on the Concord/Pleasant Hill Healthcare Community Board. Sara holds an MSW from the University of Denver and a B.A. in Psychology from UC Santa Cruz.

Project Description

Young women are at the forefront of the racial justice movement; they should also be making policy. IGNITE is launching a national effort to get young women appointed to Police Oversight Commissions in cities across the U.S., and to advocate for the creation of police oversight bodies in cities that have none. Of the 50 largest American cities, 88% have commissions; many of these commissions are working to separate themselves from city government and operate as independent entities. IGNITE’s goal is to ensure that at least one young woman is appointed to each of the existing police commissions in the 50 largest cities in America and to advocate for the creation of an independent police commission in the cities that lack one.