Leadership Asheville is proud to welcome Sarah M. Goldman as its new Executive Director. A dynamic and mission-driven professional with over two decades of experience, Sarah brings a unique blend of strategic vision, community engagement, and leadership development expertise to the role.

Sarah is proud to have called Asheville home for over ten years. She most recently served as Director of Community Programs at the North Carolina Outward Bound School, where she led multi-site operations, strategic initiatives, and innovative programming to expand access to outdoor leadership education. She is also the founder of Action First Coaching, an executive coaching practice that has supported entrepreneurs, community leaders, and elite athletes in achieving personal and professional growth.

Before stepping into nonprofit leadership and coaching, Sarah spent 15 years in public safety as both a firefighter and police officer. She was a member of an elite international urban search and rescue team and served as a civilian firefighter in Iraq with the Department of Defense—experiences that shaped her signature brand of gritty, grounded teamwork.

Sarah’s career reflects a deep commitment to service, resilience, and community. She holds a B.A. from Virginia Tech and an MBA from Appalachian State University. She is passionate about inspiring civic engagement and cultivating leaders who make a lasting impact.

About Leadership Asheville

Leadership Asheville exists to build collaborative leadership capacity and foster an equitable, inclusive and sustainable community for all. To do this, we promote community leadership and civic responsibility by developing, connecting, and engaging citizens throughout the region to address the challenges and opportunities we face. If you are interested, please consider applying to participate in our flagship program.