We are thrilled to share that Sarah Benkirane is officially joining Taylor Newberry Consulting full-time as a Senior Consultant this November. After three years of contributing to TNC in part-time roles ranging from Research Consultant to Project Manager, Sarah has played an integral role in advancing projects focused on equity, mental health, and gender-based violence prevention. In this new role, she will continue to lead national evaluation initiatives while helping to grow TNC’s strategic planning and nonprofit coaching portfolios. With a PhD in Clinical and Social Psychology and a proven track record of supporting organizations to deepen their impact, Sarah brings both expertise and heart to the work. In the interview below, we spoke with her about what she’s most excited about in this next chapter, what drives her professionally, and the values that anchor her approach to consulting at TNC.
Laine Bourassa: So you’re about to start full-time at TNC. Can you tell us a little bit about the role that you’re starting in?
Sarah Benkirane: Yes! As of mid-November, I’ll be joining Taylor Newberry Consulting full-time as a Senior Consultant. I’ve been with TNC part-time for about three years now, in a few different capacities, first as a Research Consultant and then as a Project Manager. It’s been such a rewarding experience to grow alongside the team and contribute to so many meaningful projects. I’m really excited to take on this new challenge and continue supporting our partners in deepening their impact through equity-driven evaluation and strategy work.
Laine Bourassa: Well, we’re so excited that you’ll be with us full time. Will you be continuing on with your previous projects?
Sarah Benkirane: It’ll be a bit of both! I’ll continue leading several of the evaluation projects I’ve been working on with nonprofits across the country, especially those focused on gender-based violence prevention and mental health. At the same time, I’ll be taking on some exciting new areas of work. One of our goals with this role is to expand TNC’s strategic planning portfolio, supporting organizations at the local, provincial, and national levels to dream big about what’s possible for the nonprofit sector in Canada.
Another emerging area I’m really excited about is nonprofit coaching. It’s a newer focus for TNC, and we’re looking forward to shaping what that can look like — helping organizations build capacity, navigate change, and bring their visions to life.
Laine Bourassa: That sounds like a really interesting offering for TNC. What’s one thing that you’re especially excited about with the new role that you’re looking forward to?
Sarah Benkirane: I’m especially excited to continue building relationships with nonprofits, both with organizations I already know and with new partners. Over the past three years at TNC, I’ve had the privilege of getting to know so many teams doing incredible work. Those relationships have been such a meaningful part of my experience, collaborating with organizations to help bring out the best in what they offer.
I’m also really looking forward to carving out dedicated space for strategic planning within TNC. It’s something we’ve done organically over the years, often alongside our evaluation work, but this role gives us a chance to formalize it: to build a stronger framework, a dedicated team, and a clear vision for how we can support organizations in shaping their futures with purpose and creativity.
Sarah’s Background
Laine Bourassa: Wonderful. Tell us a little bit more about your professional self.
Sarah Benkirane: Sure! I recently completed my PhD in Clinical and Social Psychology, which has really shaped how I think about systems, people, and access. My doctoral research focused on access to mental health care for newcomers in Canada, specifically exploring how attitudes toward mental health influence people’s willingness to seek support, and what factors shape their comfort and trust in mental health professionals
Alongside my academic work, I’ve spent about ten years working in the for-profit and nonprofit community sectors. I started out in the education field and later transitioned into mental health before moving into consulting about three years ago. That combination has given me a unique perspective, I’ve seen how organizations operate from the inside, and now, through consulting, I get to collaborate with a wide range of partners and see what’s possible across different contexts.
All of those experiences have really led me here: to a role where I can bring together my research background, nonprofit leadership experience, and passion for equity to help organizations deepen their impact.
Sarah’s reflections about her experience at TNC thus far
Laine Bourassa: Absolutely. We’re excited that you are bringing such a breath of knowledge to your work at TNC and we can see our clients really benefiting from that. So, what’s your favourite thing about working at TNC?
Sarah Benkirane: Honestly, my favourite thing about working at TNC is the team. It’s rare these days to find a workplace where there’s so much mutual respect — where people genuinely listen to one another and where new ideas are welcomed from everyone, no matter their role. I feel really fortunate to work in an environment where leadership not only supports innovation but truly values the perspectives of the whole team.
What stands out most to me is that TNC really lives its values. A lot of organizations talk about collaboration, respect, and equity, but TNC backs those values up in how we work every day. I’ve worked in many organizations over the years, and I’ve rarely seen a team that so consistently aligns its actions with what’s written on paper.
Laine Bourassa: Oh, that’s great. Can you give an example of that?
Sarah Benkirane: One example that comes to mind is how the team approaches respect and collaboration. At TNC, everyone’s ideas are taken seriously — we can bring forward new proposals or suggestions without hesitation, knowing they’ll be thoughtfully considered. There’s a real openness to evolving our practices, which shows how much leadership trusts and values the team.
Another great example is how we’ve adapted our approach to wellness. The shift from traditional vacation days to wellness days, for instance, came directly from conversations with staff. It’s a small but powerful example of how TNC listens to its people and continuously adapts to create a supportive, values-driven workplace.
Laine Bourassa: That’s a really good example. And so, for a bit of background for the readers – TNC has made the shift from calling them “sick days” to “wellness days”, but we also added an additional five wellness days a year. Previously we had 10 wellness days a year and now we have 15 wellness days. This shift accompanied our new menstruation and menopause policy that our company rolled out. So, that’s a really exciting example and one that’s great to highlight.
Current Projects Sarah is working on and Learnings
Laine Bourassa: Can you tell me about a project you’re currently working on and something you learned from them?
Sarah Benkirane: Absolutely. One project I’m working on right now is an evaluation of the Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre’s Creative Renewal Program. The project focuses on exploring non-traditional or complementary approaches to talk therapy (movement-based therapy, art-based therapy, nature-based therapy), especially for marginalized communities who may not feel fully seen or supported in conventional therapeutic spaces.
The early findings have been really powerful — participation rates and feedback show a clear need and enthusiasm for these kinds of creative, community-rooted approaches to healing. I love this project because it connects deeply with my own clinical background while also highlighting how evaluation can uplift innovation in the nonprofit sector.
One big takeaway for me has been the importance of encouraging creativity and courage among organizations, even within the constraints of funding structures. When nonprofits take bold steps to design services with and for communities that have historically been excluded or underserved, the results can be transformative. The Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre is a great example of that, a reminder that when we lead with authenticity and creativity, it really pays off.
Laine Bourassa: That’s a really neat project. I would love to read the end product for that one.
Sarah Benkirane: For sure! It’s coming up – we are hoping to finalize our report by March 2026.
Laine Bourassa: Great! if you were able to give one tip to another member of our team about working on a similar project to the one you just described, what would you say to them?
Sarah Benkirane: I’d say take the time to really get to know both the team you’re working with and the project itself. For example, in this evaluation, I had the chance to meet in person with members of the Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre team, which made such a difference. Spending that time early on to understand their vision, their goals, and the community context helped us build a true partnership rather than taking an arms-length evaluator approach.
So my advice would be to lead with curiosity and relationship-building. When we approach projects as collaborators, not just evaluators or consultants, we can ask better questions, uncover deeper insights, and ultimately co-create something that feels meaningful and useful for everyone involved.
Favourite Memory at TNC
Laine Bourassa: What is one of your favorite memories from the past few months working at TNC?
Sarah Benkirane: One that really stands out is from our work with the Sex Information and Education Council of Canada (SIECCAN). Over the past few months, we’ve been leading community consultations across Ontario focused on technology-facilitated sexual violence (TFSV), exploring how educators and community organizations can better support youth in navigating these issues.
It was such a special experience to be out in the community, alongside some of our amazing TNC colleagues like Kamaria, Katelyn, and Bri, listening directly to educators, service providers, and community leaders. Seeing people come together, share their expertise, and collaborate so passionately on a topic that matters deeply to them was incredibly inspiring.
Laine Bourassa: Oh, that sounds so neat. And to be able to do that in person, like going to do those visits. I bet that was special.
Sarah Benkirane: Yeah, super exciting to be in person.
Getting to Know Sarah Outside of Work
Laine Bourassa: I feel like through this interview, we have gotten to know your professional self a bit better, tell me a bit about yourself outside of work.
Sarah Benkirane: Outside of work? That’s always such a good question! Someone asked me recently, “What’s your passion?”, and it really made me pause. After spending the last few years finishing my PhD, I have poured a lot of my energy into research. But when I thought about it, the first thing that came to mind was sports — both playing and championing them, especially women’s sports.
It feels like such an exciting time for professional women’s leagues, and I love being part of that movement as both a fan and a player. I’ve been a curler my whole life, I play softball, and I really thrive on the teamwork and community that come with sports.
Beyond that, I’d say my other big passion is learning. Even outside of academia, I love diving into documentaries, listening to people’s stories, and just finding ways to keep expanding how I see the world.
Laine Bourassa: That’s awesome. What’s something outside of work that made you smile this week?
Sarah Benkirane: spending time with family has been really nice. It’s been such a busy season of change so taking a bit of time to just slow down and be with family has felt really grounding. Those small moments together always remind me what’s most important.
Laine Bourassa: Okay, so last question. Finish the sentence, “when I’m not working at TNC, I’m most likely to be…”
Sarah Benkirane: playing or watching sports.
Thanks, Sarah!
We’re so excited to have Sarah join TNC full-time and continue bringing her insight, energy, and compassion to our work with partners across Canada. Welcome, Sarah! If you’d like to learn more about Sarah’s role at TNC — or explore how TNC can support your organization — you can reach her at sarahb@taylornewberry.ca