Meet our New Assistant Director of Outreach and Communications, Sarah!

Hello! My name is Sarah Podsiadlo (she/her) and I cannot express how excited I am to be joining the team at Machaneh Gilboa. I grew up in rural Montana and spent my childhood wandering the forests, eating wild berries, making elaborate tree forts, and trying to avoid being chased by angry mother bears and moose. I am delighted at this chance to be back in nature.

Over the past decade of my career, I have been dedicated to empowering youth. I started my career as a preschool reading tutor, progressed to lead teacher, before moving on to working with and supporting teenagers and young adults. I have helped infants learn to crawl, toddlers learn to use the potty, teenagers navigate trauma, and young adults craft resumes and practice for job interviews.

While I am not Jewish myself, through my work at the Skirball Cultural Center, Jewish traditions and values have grown very close to my heart and have come to mean a great deal to me. Shomrei Adamah perfectly encapsulates the obligation I feel humans have to take care of the earth, our only home. Tikkun Olam speaks to me as someone who believes we all have a responsibility to build and uplift our communities. I am thrilled to be joining a team and institution that truly lives these values and is actively putting in the work to build a better world.

In my free time you can find me reading horror or history books, snuggling with my cat Kali, creating Dungeons and Dragons campaigns, or embroidering hedgehog dolls.

I can’t wait to see camp and join the Gilboa community!