Sarah Farash leads primary-source data research and evaluation projects related to the social determinants of health. These projects deliver on research-related work-plan initiatives through co-creating and developing data-collection tools and through mixed methods and qualitative research methodology and statistical analysis techniques. Farash’s research and policy interests include peer-support models in health care settings and exploring the intersections among housing insecurity, health care access, and early childhood development.
Farash has more than 17 years of experience in clinical trials and social behavioral research operations and regulatory-affairs project management. Before joining Common Ground in 2021, Farash served as a research project manager at the University of Rochester Medical Center, supervising research coordinators and interventionists conducting projects designed to improve outcomes by exploring the impact of community- and school-based interventions for children and adults living with autism spectrum disorders. Farash previously served as the owner and lead consultant of a small business, providing dissertation and thesis writing support, research design consultation, quantitative and qualitative research implementation support, and statistical analysis support to first-generation graduate students, academics and professionals.
Active in community engagement activities, Farash is a member of the National Advisory Board for a Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)-funded project, supporting the development and implementation of a comparative intervention research project designed to test the efficacy of peer-specialists in improving health outcomes among adults with severe mental illnesses. Other involvement includes membership on the Local Early Intervention Coordinating Council, collaborating with multiple stakeholders and community leaders to support the Early Intervention Program of Monroe County. At the national level, Farash is a member of the American Public Health Association’s Disabilities and Maternal Child Health subsections.
Sarah Farash earned a doctorate degree in Social Work and Social Research from Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research and a master’s degree in Social Work with a Direct Practice Concentration from the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice.
A native Western New Yorker, Farash enjoys spending free time outdoors with her children and her partner, appreciating the beauty of the seasonal landscapes at local parks and bodies of water in our region.