For Sarah Ramirez, strong public service means making sure people can see and understand the work happening in their community.

As Capital Program Manager for the City of York, Sarah helps oversee the City’s multi-year Capital Improvement Program, bringing together planning, finance, project management, and communication to ensure projects stay aligned with community needs. Her ability to bring clarity to complex projects has helped strengthen how the City communicates its work both internally and with the public.

One of Sarah’s most recent accomplishments was leading the development and implementation of a Project Strategy Report covering more than $26 million in active capital projects. The report provides City leadership, stakeholders, and residents with clear, accessible information on project status, funding, and progress.

The result is more than a new reporting tool. It has created a consistent, data-driven approach to managing and communicating the City’s capital investments while helping departments and leadership make more informed decisions.

Sarah also helped lead the successful completion of 17 capital projects during the last fiscal year, demonstrating the City’s ability to manage a diverse portfolio of projects and deliver on its commitments.

Her work has extended into financial reporting and organizational transparency as well. Sarah contributed to the City earning two Government Finance Officers Association budget awards for the first time in its history and has helped position York to pursue additional recognition through the GFOA Triple Crown Award program.

She has also assisted in developing several key public-facing documents, including the York Police Department’s Annual Crime Report, the City’s Capital Improvement Plan, and the 2025 Annual Report. Across each project, Sarah has focused on creating consistency and making information easier for the public to access and understand.

That commitment to improvement carries into her own professional development. Sarah is working toward her Certified Local Government Finance Officer certification and is a graduate of the South Carolina Local Government Leadership Institute. She also serves on the SC ORBET Board of Trustees and is involved with several professional organizations, including the International City/County Management Association, Municipal Association of South Carolina, South Carolina City & County Management Association, South Carolina Municipal Human Resources Association, and Government Finance Officers Association.

While Sarah’s professional work centers on strengthening local government, her service outside of work focuses on two groups especially important to her: animals and seniors.

Sarah has fostered more than a dozen puppies through local dog rescue organizations in York County. Beyond providing a temporary home, she helps prepare dogs for adoption through training and socialization and supports placement efforts by photographing and promoting them to potential adopters.

She continues that work through Letters Against Isolation, writing handwritten letters to seniors experiencing loneliness across the country. Sarah has sent letters to residents in South Carolina, North Carolina, Utah, Hawaii, and New York while also reaching out to York County senior living communities to encourage local participation in the program.

Whether she is helping residents better understand how millions of dollars are being invested in their city, fostering a puppy until it finds a permanent home, or writing a letter to someone who could use a connection, Sarah approaches service with the same qualities her colleagues see in her every day: consistency, compassion, integrity, and a willingness to do the work.

It is that approach to both her profession and her community that makes Sarah Ramirez one of York County’s 2026 Ones to Watch.