Sara Haywood Joins AAG Staff as Director of Strategic Projects

The AAG is pleased to announce that Sara Haywood has joined the staff as director of strategic projects at the association’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. Prior to joining the AAG, she served as the associate director of education and events for the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC). Sara is a certified meeting professional with 13 years of progressive experience developing and managing association conferences and educational programs. Her specialties include budget and program development, project management, staff and volunteer coordination, contract negotiation, and strategic relationship management.

She is the recipient of several honors including being named to the inaugural class of 40 under 40 Award Recipients, recognizing the most accomplished association professionals nationally under the age of 40, by the Association Forum of Chicagoland in 2013. She was also a member of the first North American conference and events team to receive BS8901 Sustainability in Event Management Certification in 2009. BS8901 was the British standard that became the basis for the international standard ISO 20121 which specifies the requirements for an Event Sustainability Management System to improve the sustainability of events.

Sara holds a Bachelor’s Degree in art history and Spanish with a minor in history from Indiana University and a graduate certificate in museum exhibition planning and design from Georgetown University.

When not working, Sara enjoys kayaking and paddle boarding along the Potomac River and exploring the great hiking trails in the D.C. metropolitan area.