May 2025 – Meet Sarah Sieloff, Urban Planner & Senior Client Account Manager, Haley & Aldrich
PERSONAL
What is your educational background? I hold a BA in international relations and Spanish from Eckerd College, and a Master’s in Public Affairs from Princeton University.
What drew you to work in the environmental sector? Cities. I’ve always been interested in how urban environments grow, change, and operate. I grew up in a rural community where the impacts of urban sprawl were a problem. Between my undergrad and graduate studies, I worked and lived in cities in Latin America, Europe, Asia and the South Pacific. City building is part of what sets humans apart from other animal species. How can we, as an officially urban species (as of about 2008, more than 50% of humans lived in cities) live sustainably on this planet? That’s one of the big questions that drives me.
In a word, describe yourself. Inquisitive.
What’s one interesting fact about you that most people don’t know? I’m an enthusiastic cyclist and always down for a good bike ride.
How do you balance your career and family? It’s a dance – sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow, and we’re all along for the adventure.
ON BUSINESS
What drew you to your company initially? I’m entrepreneurial, and I appreciated the opportunity to build a practice nationally with a deep bench of technical experts.
What are three words to describe your company? Agile and always learning.
What is the favorite part about working for Haley & Aldrich? Haley & Aldrich has given me a great deal of freedom to build up our internal capacity in the realm of funding pursuits and implementation. I enjoy teaching and training, and it’s rewarding to see colleagues who mostly focus on technical work thrive in creative roles on grant writing and brownfield grant implementation teams.
What has been your favorite project at your company? It’s been extremely rewarding to work with the Port of Whitman County, Washington to support their efforts to build a land reuse program with catalytic funding from EPA’s Brownfields Program and the Washington State Department of Ecology. The Port is extremely strategic, takes calculated risks, builds strong partnerships, and these actions are making a visible difference in rural communities throughout the County.
How has your company helped you in your career development? Aside from the freedom they’ve given me to build a team and a practice, they’ve been extremely supportive of my efforts to share best practices and good stories about a variety of planning-related topics by publishing in a variety of national and international outlets.
ON THE INDUSTRY
What has your involvement been with NEBC? I’ve been involved with NEBC since 2015, when I was leading the nonprofit Center for Creative Land Recycling. NEBC is a different organization now compared to when I first got involved, and it has done a great job diversifying attendance at its events. Across the Pacific Northwest, NEBC has emerged as a critical source of “grease and glue” that both keeps things moving by fostering networking and knowledge sharing, but also holds us all together.
What is the best professional advice you’ve received? Keep on eye focused on what’s strategic but not urgent.
What advice do you have for prospective candidates who want to work at your company or in the industry? Write and publish. You know something other people don’t know but need to. Share it. Being able to point to an article is a great way to demonstrate expertise, passion, the ability to communicate clearly, and the capacity to be a self-starter.
What is your industry’s wish list for the next five years? If ever policy continuity and clarity were important, it’s now. Communities around the country depend on multiple federal grant programs to plan and implement projects, from stormwater systems that protect waterways to street safety improvements to land cleanup and reuse. Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds must be obligated by September 30, 2026, which means that many programs will encounter a funding deadline, in addition to any effects resulting from current administration policies.
What trends do you see as a part of the industry? As public and nonprofit entities observe what’s happening at the federal level, I see many of them positioning for maximum agility – whether that means pursuing state and philanthropic funding or phasing projects to adapt to this new and evolving public funding landscape.