Kara serves as CEO and President of Sax, Inc., a women- and minority-owned agency known for bringing advertising, marketing, and branding expertise to purpose-driven organizations. Through her work with clients, she brings a multi-disciplinary approach that helps organizations scale their impact and grow their reach.
A passionate advocate for mission-driven work, Kara brings forward-thinking strategy and vision to everything she does, including her service on the Alliance Foundation Board of Trustees.
We asked Kara about how her experience working with hundreds of organizations informs her leadership on the board of the Alliance Foundation.
“What I am proudest of is helping champion the belief that access to an excellent education should never be determined by circumstance. Alliance has built a system where students who have historically been underestimated are instead expected to achieve extraordinary outcomes.
That commitment to equity and opportunity has been tested in very real ways during my time on the board. We’ve navigated two profound national moments at the same time: the global health crisis of COVID-19 and the national racial reckoning following the murder of George Floyd. Those moments required educational institutions everywhere to respond with urgency, compassion, and clarity. Almost overnight, we had to rethink how education could continue, how we could support families facing unprecedented disruption, and how we could ensure our students felt seen, supported, and safe during a period of deep national pain and reflection.
What stood out to me during those times was the steadiness of the Alliance community. Our educators, school leaders, and staff rose to the moment with extraordinary commitment. The board’s role was to help provide resources so the organization could continue to serve scholars without losing sight of its mission. Institutions reveal their character most clearly during times of challenge, and Alliance demonstrated exactly the kind of leadership our scholars deserve.
What I wish more people understood is that Alliance is not simply a network of schools. It is an engine of generational opportunity.
Scholars who may have once been underestimated leave Alliance seeing themselves as future doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs, and leaders. That transformation is the story more people need to hear and support.
When you create an environment with high expectations, exceptional educators, and a culture that truly believes in the potential of every student, young people rise in ways that redefine what people thought was possible.”
The Alliance Foundation is grateful to have Kara Sax’s leadership and vision as she works alongside our community toward a future where every scholar has the opportunity to thrive.