Sara Hemmeter's career spans over 25 years, with a deep commitment to advocating for children and working within the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Her work began by representing young people in New York City Family Court for the Legal Aid Society - Juvenile Rights Practice, handling a range of cases including child abuse/neglect, custody issues, termination of parental rights, and delinquency matters. She later became Co-Director of training at the NYC Administration for Children's Services (ACS), where she trained attorneys and caseworkers on Family Court case litigation.
As both the Deputy Commissioner and Associate Commissioner at ACS, Ms. Hemmeter guided programming efforts for at-risk and delinquent youth, ensuring the agency's mission of public safety and youth well-being was prioritized. She led large-scale juvenile justice reforms in collaboration with the judiciary, defense attorneys, attorneys for parents and for children, governmental agencies, and contracted providers. Additionally, Ms. Hemmeter expanded community-based programs for justice-involved youth, providing more supportive and rehabilitative options. In addition to her programmatic leadership, she was responsible for issuing requests for proposals (RFPs), as well as negotiating contracts and budgets with non-profit agencies to support youth services.
Now, as a consultant, Ms. Hemmeter works with organizations and governmental agencies to design and implement innovative reforms aimed at improving outcomes for at-risk youth and their families. Her extensive experience reflects her dedication to improving systems for vulnerable children and families.More...