Sara Fenske Bahat

Sara Fenske Bahat is a civic leader whose career spans public service, finance, education, and the arts. Based in San Francisco, she connects creative arts, economics, and equitable design to drive social change.

She holds a Political Science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Master's in International Political Economy from the London School of Economics. In 2022, she participated in the Presidential Leadership Scholars program, exploring culture and cohesion in divided societies.

Bahat began her career at New York City's Economic Development Corporation, retaining over 14,000 jobs and securing $2.5 billion in private investment. She later served in leadership roles at Citigroup and the New York State Banking Department before relocating to San Francisco in 2007.

In California, she joined California College of the Arts, eventually becoming Chair of the MBA in Design Strategy program. Under her leadership, the program emphasized ethical, human-centered approaches to business.

Her impact extended to the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA), where she progressed from Fellow to Board Chair to CEO. At YBCA, she launched groundbreaking initiatives including the nation's first Guaranteed Income program for artists.

Most recently, Bahat served as Transition Director for San Francisco Mayor-Elect Daniel Lurie, leading the city's largest mayoral transition in over 30 years and designing a new executive leadership structure.

Beyond formal roles, she actively engages in civic initiatives. After the 2016 election, she and her husband hosted "Bowling Together," encouraging greater civic involvement.

Currently, she advises "The PolyOpportunity" at the House of Beautiful Business, focusing on rebuilding public life and exploring shared purpose in our complex world.

Bahat's leadership combines integrity, vision, and joy. She stands as a positive force who transforms vision into action, inspiring others through creativity, community engagement, and collaboration.