Sarah Howard Appointed Interim Vice President for Advancement and Strategic Relations at The Boston Architectural College

We are pleased to announce that Sarah Howard, MPP, MDS-SD’21, has been appointed as the Interim Vice President for Advancement and Strategic Relations. In this role, she will lead the College’s newly restructured tripartite resource portfolio, which now encompasses not only philanthropic giving and alumni relations, but also grants, and governmental relations and funding.

With 25 years of experience across the built environment, higher education, and nonprofit sectors, Sarah brings a wealth of expertise and a fresh perspective to the BAC's advancement efforts. She has been instrumental in cultivating partnerships and mobilizing resources for educational, arts, and community-based initiatives. She recently served as the BAC’s Special Assistant to the President for Program Development Strategy for the past two years. In this role, she closely collaborated with the Vice Presidents for Advancement, Academic Affairs and Enrollment Management and developed strategic frameworks, helped launch a new degree program, established grant management systems, and secured significant funding, including foundation and government support.

Sarah has a remarkable track record in securing substantial funding across various initiatives. She has successfully obtained significant support from the City of Boston for BAC’s Pre-College Access Program and led major fundraising efforts for the BAC’s Solar Decathlon. Additionally, she has managed substantial grants for the Rhode Island Philharmonic and developed resource infrastructure for organizations like the Mass Farmers Markets Federation and Ashmont Hill Chamber Music. Her leadership roles with EarthOS Institute and PlacePractice Collaborative further demonstrate her commitment to sustainability and strategic partnerships.

As a BAC alum and long-time faculty member, she is dedicated to strengthening alumni and donor relations, enhancing community and industry partnerships, and developing public and private grant opportunities to expand the college’s fundraising capacity. Working closely with colleagues across the college, Sarah is committed to fostering a culture of innovation, compassion, and collaboration, aimed at enhancing the BAC’s programs and advancing its strategic goals.

Sarah is currently a doctoral candidate in Educational Studies at Lesley University, where she is researching multi-layered institutional learning for strategic outcomes. She holds a Master of Design Studies in Sustainable Design from the BAC, and a Master of Public Policy in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning from Tufts University.