Sarah Mae Dizon

Annual Giving Manager

Sarah Mae manages the digital side of SELC’s annual giving fundraising program. She works to acquire new donors through online channels and steward existing donors through digital engagement.

“The South is where my parents put down their roots after immigrating from the Philippines,” Sarah Mae said of her motivation to work for SELC. “It’s my home, and it’s home to so many of the people I love, which is why I feel so passionate about protecting the air, water, and other natural resources here. I love that environmental justice touches everything we do.”

Sarah Mae sees SELC influence reaching beyond the Southeast.

“Countries like the Philippines in the global south are disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis,” she noted. “I have family in the Philippines who have weathered major typhoons. The work SELC is doing is rooted in the South but has an impact beyond our region and in the broader context of the climate crisis.”

Based in Charlottesville, Sarah Mae is barely more than a half hour from the nearest entrance to her favorite outdoor spot, Shenandoah National Park. “I have a very cherished memory of having an outdoor picnic with my extended family there shortly after COVID-19 restrictions began to lift,” she said. “It was the first time in a long time we got to see each other.”

• Blue State, strategist of content and campaigns   
• B.A., George Mason University