Meet Sarah Hassaine | Culture, People, Optimization

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sarah Hassaine and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sarah, how do you think about risk?
My relationship with risk, in retrospect, has been beautiful. I would have never pegged myself as a risk-taker. However ironically, the instances in my life where I took huge risks ended up being the best thing for me. They were scary in the moment. I look at risk as a mindset. I know that there are consequences or uncertainties and I tell myself that I have what it takes to navigate them. I calculate the opportunity cost. The biggest risk I took was walking out of a job without another one lined up. My mental and physical health was being compromised, I was being devalued and over-worked. Everyone around me was shocked that I had “no plan” and nothing lined up, it was “out of character.” And yet I remember being so calm and resolute in my action. It felt right. I do believe that risks will feel right, you have to trust your gut with any decision you make and see it through.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As I sit and reflect on my career now, I smile because there was a time where I was not sure if it was making sense. And now I can clearly see that all my jobs gave me the skillset to lead and understand people and business strategy at a deep and empathetic level. My superpower is my empathy first and then thinking through all potential considerations and vantage points. I have dedicated a lot of time to my love for travel and growth. I have been to over 50 countries and love immersing myself in different cities and simply walking and exploring.

I started out in international development, working in refugee camps in Lebanon, and then pivoted to diplomacy in the hopes of entering politics by moving to Washington, Dc. I did my first Masters in Public Policy at George Washington University and worked in Consulting with Deloitte and then moved into tech as that was the trend “back then.” I was leading website builds and usability testing and designing social media strategies for international organizations and governments around the world.

Since 2014, I have been in high tech, working in fast paced environments like Amazon, Qualcomm and ResMed. I have been designing and leading D&I strategies and implementation. It is hard work, but I am proud of how I have transformed and evolved corporate culture, behaviors, and understanding. In order to stay professionally relevant in this fast-paced environment, I did go back to school to get my MBA at Wharton and that was probably one of my biggest professional challenges. I was working full time and going to school full time. I chose a quant-heavy program so I could grow and so my personal life was put on hold as I focused my attention on career and professional development. The best thing I did for myself at that time was not compromise my workouts and walks. It was very important that I took care of my mind and body to keep me centered and strong.

Nothing has come easy. I worked hard for every interview, at every job, and on anything I worked on. I have a lot of grit and resilience and it makes me appreciate everything I have accomplished. The one thing I always tell people in my trainings or that I mentor, if you are not being valued or operating at your full potential, go find it. Life is too short for us not to be happy or to be devalued, or in the wrong role. It will take time and it won’t be easy, but our ease of being is immensely worth it.

My brand right now is one that focuses on #inclusionmatters. I love talking about different communities and raising awareness on a plethora of topics, such as disability, accessibility, gender, identity, and more. Also, going back to my San Diego pride, I am very devoted to the economic prosperity and health of my city and am actively involved in different community organizations and initiatives. I am proud of the opportunities given to me to exercise thought-leadership and volunteering.

While I keep a busy schedule, I love spending time with my family and friends. Playing with my nieces brings me so much joy and you will find me smiling either on a salsa/bachata dance floor or on the beach with a good book.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I Love my city! I take enjoying and seeing San Diego very seriously when guests come into town. I want them to see all that it has to offer, especially the more quotidian things to do that are not on a top 10 list.

Our coffee and food scene has only been evolving and so I would ensure booking restaurants in North Park, Little Italy and Encinitas to get a good culinary variety and different scenery. Morning coffee and walks on Sunset Cliffs. Enjoy a stroll at the Cove in La Jolla and find the hidden cave and swing for pictures. I also love taking people to our version of “Little Asia” which is Convoy street for great food and desserts. The street has many speakeasys and late night cafes that are always bustling. And of course, if you want bustling, walking in Gaslamp downtown. San Diego has a beautiful downtown with one busy street that ends with our ballpark (the nicest one in the US ;)) and convention center. I definitely recommend getting tacos at Taco Stand, sundaes at Ghiradelli, and enjoying rooftop drinks at Rustic Root or in the basement of Prohibition.

San Diego is known for its World Famous Zoo and Safari Park. I agree that they are the best, so pick one and spend the day. In addition, I recommend a day at Balboa Park, which is the largest cultural park in the USA and to walk all the country cottages and enjoy learning about different cultures. From there, ending the day in Old Town with lots of live music, colorful streets and vendors, and delicious food. I always recommend the ghost tours 😉

Lastly, it is San Diego, get on the water! Walking any shoreline or boardwalk just makes your heart happy 🙂

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
HUGE shoutout to my mother. Without her I would not here. To this day, she makes sure I take care of myself and has nursed me back to health many many times. I know she is my biggest fan and cheerleader, and I am the luckiest daughter in the world to have such unconditional love in my life. Merci maman xoxoxo

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahhassaine/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-9xPAmduNQ