Profile
Sarah Gifford is Civic Engagement Lead in the Centre for Civic and Public Engagement (CPE), where she leads work to embed and deliver the university's Civic University Agreement in partnership with colleagues, local organisations, and strategic civic partners across East London. With more than 15 years' experience in community and public engagement and civic partnership working, Sarah is committed to ensuring that QM teaching, research, and engagement are connected to the priorities and aspirations across East London.
Previously, Sarah served as Community Engagement Manager in Queen Mary's Centre for Public Engagement, where she led the East London listening campaign informing QM’s civic priorities in the CUA; designed, developed and delivered six years of the Festival of Communities; and built partnerships with local VCFSE organisations, residents and public sector partners across East London.
Sarah is passionate about amplifying community voices and creating meaningful partnerships that deliver social impact. Her work focuses on strengthening relationships between universities, communities and place, supporting collaborative approaches to regional challenges, and championing the role of higher education institutions as civic anchors for positive change.
Find out more about this work at https://www.qmul.ac.uk/about/for-east-london/