Sarah Anderson is an educator, author, consultant and emerging scholar specializing in place-based education and curriculum design. She recently served as the fieldwork and place-based education coordinator at The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science where she mentored other teachers in place-based practices for over ten years. She taught middle school for many years before that, and spent several years as an informal educator in organizations ranging from rural Vermont to the California Redwoods.  

In her 25 years as a place-based educator and coordinator, Sarah has designed many engaging student projects and built meaningful community partnerships. She has managed several grant-funded initiatives to develop and disseminate place-based programs and has worked with multiple schools to strengthen their place-based practices. Her work is guided by the goals of social and ecological justice, and the desire to build resilient, diverse communities that honor youth voice and participation.

A graduate of Bard College, Sarah holds a MEd from Antioch New England Graduate School and is currently working towards her doctorate in Education Theory and Practice at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia.

Sarah is the author of the book Bringing School to Life: Place-based Education across the Curriculum. She has written for Learning for Justice, Educational Leadership, Education Week, and Green Schools Catalyst Quarterly and her work has been featured by Yes! Magazine and Edutopia.  

A native of northern Vermont, Sarah has lived in Portland, Oregon for over 15 years.  When not working on her collection of place-based education projects, you can find her planting in her garden, scouting neighborhood wildlife with her son, or watching good movies with her husband (a film aficionado).