Meet Sarah BagLEY

Sarah Bagley is the Executive Director of a non-profit and is currently serving in her first term on the Alexandria City Council.

Born and raised in Virginia, Sarah is dedicated to serving her community. She is has served her community in leadership roles with Mom Demand Action and the Alexandria Democratic Committee, spent nearly ten years practicing as an attorney, currently serves as the Executive Director of a housing non-profit, and in her limited free times is learning how to live with her big, boisterous rescue dog Buster adopted from the Alexandria Animal Welfare League.

"Growing up I was lucky enough to be surrounded by love, and that love taught me how to show up for my community. I know that Alexandria is a community of smart, passionate people who care about our community and the world around us. I am seeking another term on City Council to continue to be a voice for that passion, and to continue building an Alexandria that works for every single one of us."

She credits her parents for teaching her what it means to work hard and show up for others. Her father, a Vietnam Veteran, worked as a shop supervisor at the US Naval Shipyard for more than 35 years, and never missed a day of work if he could avoid it. Her mom taught her the value of education, and encouraged her love of reading and being informed about the world around her. Sarah worked her way through college at William and Mary to get her BA in Government and law school at The Catholic University of America. She worked at two DC based law firms and clerked at the District Court in Montgomery County, Maryland witnessing the inequities that plague our criminal justice system for marginalized groups and those who cannot afford to mount a defense.  

In 2015, she made the life-changing decision to leave her successful legal career and begin working for an affordable housing non-profit, focused on connecting tenants with community resources. Through this work, she's had the opportunity to work with people from every part of the country, from Spanish speaking immigrants in the Rio Grande Valley, to Nepalese immigrants in Fargo, to predominantly Black communities in Georgia and South Carolina. These experiences have taught her the value of listening and that there is no one size fits all solution to provide communities what they need to stabilize and improve their circumstances. 

Sarah has actively participated in the Boards and Commissions assigned to her including the Children, Youth and Families Collaborative Commission, Alexandria Campaign on Adolescent Pregnancy, COG CEEPC and Waterfront Commission.  Her support and understanding of the key role transit plays in creating safer, more accessible and environmentally sustainable communities has led her to take on leadership roles on the Executive Committee of VRE and as Program Advisory Committee Chair at NVTC.