Sarah Speare became the new executive director of IHE because of a book. She had a conversation with her son about a book he was reading, and what she heard so intrigued her that she decided to learn more about the book and the organization behind it. The book was IHE President, Zoe Weil’s book
Most Good, Least Harm. She checked out IHE’s website, saw the posting for an executive director, and now her path has brought her to IHE’s helm.
Sarah says, “I believe so strongly in the Institute for Humane Education’s approach to creating social change through education – inspiring people to become solutionaries and the important connection between human rights, animal protection, and environmental preservation.”
The entire IHE staff is excited to have Sarah join us. IHE’s co-founder and president, Zoe Weil, says, “We couldn’t have found a better person to take IHE to the next level of growth. Sarah has creative vision and significant experience in growing and building organizations. She also has a passion and deep interest in helping people to use their knowledge, creativity and leadership to create positive change in their lives, communities and the world.”
Sarah has been a consultant and board member to several non-profits, and she co-founded and ran her own consumer foods company for 10 years. Sarah served as the first director of the Portland Arts and Cultural Alliance (PACA), and for a decade was the executive director of the Society for Environmental Graphic Design (SEGD). A graduate of Tufts University and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, with a certificate in Arts Management from Radcliffe College, she has been honored with a Fellow Award from the SEGD and won an Innovation Award from the Center for Design and Business in Rhode Island.
We asked Sarah to share a little about herself and her plans for IHE.
IHE: Sarah, what is your vision for IHE for the next several years?
SS: I was hired to grow IHE and its programs and to help humane education become integral to how we learn and to how we create positive change. I am committed to these tasks and to IHE’s mission. Our core programs are strong, our faculty are outstanding, our co-founder and president Zoe Weil’s books, talks and workshops are seminal, and as the public face for the organization, she has already inspired a generation of humane educators and solutionaries.
As we enter into our 15th anniversary, my focus will be to increase participation in and awareness of IHE’s programs and resources. My marketing and entrepreneurial hats will be used to reach into new areas to find students and to encourage more partnerships, increase our donor participation, and to attract institutional grants to underwrite some of our programs so that, as one example, we can offer more scholarships. I will work to offer our online courses and workshops more frequently so that at any given time a person can engage with our profound and re-affirming programs (A Better World A Meaningful Life, Teaching for a Positive Future, and Raising a Humane Child) to get the tools they need to effect change. A large part of my time will be devoted to growing our M.Ed., M.A. and Graduate Certificate programs in Humane Education as we launch a new university affiliation and additional degrees. These online advanced degrees (with summer residencies in Maine) in Humane Education are our strongest mission builders. I will work closely with our affiliate to make sure we are attracting as many teachers, educators and engaged citizens to the programs as possible. I also plan to connect with and build community through our vast network of alumni and supporters – and harness their talents. Finally, I will be working to increase the awareness of the issues that bring people to know and care about humane education, by increasing Zoe Weil's and IHE’s impact and profile in the public realm and discourse around creating a better world.
I have long wanted to work more directly in education – in an innovative program with teachers that instill creativity, critical thinking, inquiry, reflection and action – and IHE embodies this approach. At IHE, education is the breeding ground for ideas and solutions. It is where people are empowered to believe in themselves and to know that they matter – and can make a difference. At IHE, education is a powerful tool for creating positive change in the world. If we, and others in this realm, do our job, then one day this is how all of education will be. I realize that all of this is a tall order, and know that it will take time and a plan to get there. But the vision is clear, the passion is flowing and the dedication from IHE’s staff, board and community abounds. I look forward to my new role and the journey ahead. Please call me directly with ideas, feedback and to introduce yourself!
IHE: Tell us a bit about your family and what you like to do for fun and fulfillment.
SS: I live with my husband, Michael, and our very social Boxer, Hazel, in Falmouth, Maine. We have two sons, Nicholas, a documentary filmmaker and journalist, and Emmett, who is traveling and in college. In my free time I love to sing, do Kundalini yoga, capture the whimsy in nature through photos, and I delight in my vegetarian kitchen.
~ Marsha
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Since my TEDx talk was released, I have been receiving lots of emails from people wanting to learn how to implement the ideas I shared. I’ve also been hearing from humane educators and groups doing fantastic work across the globe. For my next several blog posts, I wanted to share some of their great work.
