Sara Hicks-West

Sara Hicks-West is a seasoned professional in disaster management and community recovery, currently serving as a Disaster Subject Matter Expert on the Homelessness Assistance Team at The Cloudburst Group since November 2021. Prior experience includes a notable tenure at the American Red Cross from July 2006 to October 2021, where Sara led critical recovery operations for major disasters including the 2020 Western Wildfires and Hurricanes Florence, Michael, and Dorian. Roles at the Red Cross encompassed leadership positions such as Division Disaster Director for Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, as well as State Disaster Officer for multiple states. Educational qualifications include a Master's degree in Psychology from the University of West Georgia and a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Criminology from Western Carolina University. Previous experience includes working as a Youth Program Assistant at Smokey Mountain Mental Health, focusing on behavioral modification and life skills coaching for adjudicated youth.