Hands of Peace - Empowering Young People to Raise their Voices as Leaders for Change

As San Diego Site Director for Hands of peace, Sarah Heirendt is responsible for overseeing the annual three-week summer program that brings together 50 Israeli, Palestinian and American youth right here in Carlsbad, and other year-round projects that take place in the San Diego area. This includes community education and outreach, participant and volunteer recruitment, alumni engagement and event planning as well as coordination and execution of the many details that go into the summer program. 

Sarah served as the San Diego Assistant Program Director in 2016 as well as one of the leadership training facilitators. She received her BA from Vanguard University in Cultural Anthropology and her MS from George Mason University in Conflict Resolution. 

She has worked for multiple non-profits specializing in community development.  While studying and traveling abroad, her interest in the Middle East peace process developed firsthand when she volunteered at a refugee camp near Nablus in the West Bank.

Note: Heirendt is pronounced “HI-rent”