Sarah York Rubin, Courage to Lead Alum

Sarah York Rubin, Executive Director Santa Barbara County Office of Arts & Culture Courage to Lead

Sarah’s early interest in the arts was cultivated by her parents, both public school educators, who frequently took her to performances, lectures, and museums and emphasized the importance of theater, music, performing arts, and writing. However, it was the profound influence of her grandparents, who escaped the Holocaust, that instilled in her the value that life is a gift and should be used to help others – a conviction that drives her deep commitment to community service. As the Executive Director of the Santa Barbara County Office of Arts & Culture, Sarah channels this dedication into her work, advocating for art as a powerful catalyst for social change, equity, and greater tolerance. She asserts that artistic expression expands awareness and appreciation for the diverse experiences of others, and enables an outlet for our own individual expression.

“Art can be lovely and Is sometimes dismissed as ‘nice to have or enjoy,’ but I also think that art is the most significant expression of our humanity,” she shared. “The critical part is the compassion and empathy that creative expression helps us to build, and the sharing and receiving of that expression allows us to differently hear or see ourselves and each other.”

While Sarah is passionate about all art forms, she is perhaps most drawn to writing. As an undergrad at the University of Michigan, Sarah majored in creative writing and poetry. In addition to penning her own column in the student paper, she worked as a talk show host at a public radio station, where she interviewed notable literary luminaries, including Ron Chernow, Brian Greene, and Eric Schlosser. At the station, she also learned sound engineering and DJ-ing.

A Fulbright Scholar, Sarah spent one year in Hong Kong working in radio and education after receiving her master’s degree at Carnegie Mellon University. Upon graduation, she joined the Hillman Center for Performing Arts in Pittsburgh, where she served as director for eight years. Her focus was incorporating artists, performances, and lectures from across the globe with local community performances and cultural events. The integration of community into the art world has been consistently vital to Sarah’s work and it was among the many reasons she accepted the role, nearly 9 years ago, as executive director of the Santa Barbara County Office of Arts & Culture.

One of the greatest contributions that Sarah brings to her current job is the role and endeavor of active listening, a skill honed by her Courage to Lead experience.

“The best leaders need to be the best listeners,” explained Sarah. “So much of good leadership is listening and honoring what you’re hearing, so the fact that Courage to Lead and Leading From Within supports cohorts of leaders and instills this value into its leadership programs is powerful. The focus of Leading From Within’s programs is modeling a leadership style not based on power or control, but on listening to others and listening to yourself and honoring those truths.”

This concept complements another Courage to Lead lesson that Sarah said informs her work and even her personal life – the practice of asking open, honest questions.

“Being able to listen and repeat back without your own filter really helps people hear themselves. It’s also healthy to get outside of your own head and discipline area.”

“By investing in local leaders over time, Courage to Lead has created a thoughtful cohort of civic leaders who share a vocabulary in a way that is helpful to the communities we serve.”

Moreover, Sarah credits the program for introducing her to her Santa Barbara West Coast bestie, Cindy Chyr, highlighting the additional benefit of broadening one’s professional and personal networks.