Sarah Fajardo

Sarah serves as an Implementation Manager for the Clean Slate Initiative, guiding states through the successful execution of Clean Slate laws so that the millions of people in America who are eligible receive the benefits of automated record clearance. Sarah is a social and racial justice advocate, focused on expanding civil rights for all community members in partnership with and taking leadership from community leaders impacted by systems’ changes.

Sarah previously served as the Policy Director at the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey, where she developed and led policy advocacy campaigns to advance the rights of New Jerseyans. Some of her proudest policy change campaigns included limiting solitary confinement, expanding voting rights, securing Driver’s Licenses for all New Jerseyans, legalizing and decriminalizing cannabis, and effectuating early release from incarceration for qualified individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sarah came to this position from FPWA in New York City, where she developed and launched a campaign called “Ending the Poverty to Prison Pipeline,” and helped publish a policy report with the same name. Previously, she served at the NYC Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget as a senior budget analyst, where she managed the multi-billion dollar state education budget funding the NYC Department of Education. Prior to that position, she was the policy manager for the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families and led advocacy efforts in the fields of education and child welfare with pan-Asian communities across New York City.

Sarah holds a Master of Science degree in urban policy analysis from The Milano School, New School University, New York, NY, and a BA in anthropology from Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT.