ALUMNI
Sarah Herrlinger ‘90 Is Making a Lasting Impact “Sarah’s professional journey highlights the importance of a wideranging liberal arts education at Country Day, with a focus on leadership and life skills – where we must prepare students for careers that do not yet exist. Sarah’s job did not exist when she was
T
his year, Sarah Herrlinger ’90 was selected as the Distinguished Alumna for her groundbreaking work to ensure accessibility is built into everything Apple creates. As Apple’s senior director of Global Accessibility Policy and Initiatives, she leads accessibility programs and support for disability communities worldwide to ensure that Apple products, services, and workplaces are built for everyone. “Country Day is where it all started for me with the Apple II e’s in the computer science classroom and volunteering as a sophomore at Stepping Stones,” said Herrlinger.
Sarah (in the pink skirt) participated in the school’s production of Godspell in 1988 and encourages today’s students to get involved as much as they can.
Herrlinger noted that her experience with the teachers at Country Day also made a difference in her life and prepared her for her position at Apple.
a student at Country Day or even when she began working at Apple.
“The faculty teach you to care, take chances, step outside of your comfort zone, and embrace opportunity,” said Herrlinger. “I had so many phenomenal teachers who absolutely expected the best from their students. Because of my French education at Country Day, I have been able to actively participate in meetings in Brussels and Paris, which leaves my colleagues pleasantly surprised. Having French as a standard component of my curriculum from Montessori through senior year was hugely beneficial and something I will always cherish.”
But while Sarah may
She also credits Country Day’s campus for giving her the space and place to lead and explore.
at Country Day.”
“There is something to be said for having everyone on one campus,” explained Herrlinger. “When I was in lower school, upper school students would come to
not have learned how to make iPhones accessible for visually impaired users during her tenure at Country Day, she did learn habits of mind and became a lifelong learner
-Head of School Rob Zimmerman ‘98 at the Alumni Breakfast in October 2021 to honor Sarah Herrlinger as the 2021 Distinguished Alumni
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