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Full-Spectrum Leadership
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Sarah Palmer
Principal
Exeter NH USA
Get in TouchSarah Palmer (she/her) is an experienced human resources leader and talent recruiter with a passion for connecting exceptional talent to compelling leadership opportunities in higher education, aligning skills, values and competencies to position both individuals and institutions for success. Based in Exeter, New Hampshire, Sarah brings to her search work a history of recruiting top level executives, driving organizational change and alignment, improving processes and engaging employees and senior leadership. She applies a holistic approach to talent that appreciates the interconnectedness between workforce planning, talent development, retention and recruiting.
Prior to joining WittKieffer, Sarah spent 15 years in key talent acquisition and talent management roles in both the private and public sectors – most recently as the assistant vice president for human resources at Simmons University in Boston. In her role, Sarah served as a strategic business partner to senior leadership during a time of significant transformation for the university, providing effective workforce planning and talent management consultation to advance the mission and culture of the institution. Among her key contributions at Simmons, Sarah led the talent acquisition strategy and execution for executive-level strategic hires across the president’s senior leadership team, along with multiple academic dean positions for established and inaugural colleges. In addition, Sarah was instrumental in advancing inclusive hiring practices across the university.
In recognition of her exceptional service to clients and candidates, Sarah is a recipient of WittKieffer’s Quality Award. She recently completed the eCornell certificate program in Diversity and Inclusion, which focuses on improving employee engagement, counteracting unconscious bias and fostering an inclusive work climate.
Distinctions
Strategic Human Resources Business Partner (sHRBP) Certification
All American Scholar Collegiate Award Winner
eCornell Certificate in Diversity and Inclusion
Education
B.A., Art History, Connecticut College, New London, CT
Expertise
Presidents
Provosts, Deans and Academic Leadership
Vice Presidents and Officers