Sarah McGinn used to be a professional jockey. As in, she rode horses competitively at Golden Gate Fields after she graduated from college. She then pivoted to logistics and sales roles. Her first safety job was at a structural steel construction company, followed by a safety manager role at Peet’s Coffee roasting and distribution plant in Alameda.
Today, she serves as the Division Safety Coordinator for the Computing Sciences Area and its four divisions: NERSC, Scientific Networking, Scientific Data, and Applied Math & Computational Research. She supports Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) efforts across the CS Area, including data center installations, ergonomics, incident investigations, training, chemical management, and hazardous waste compliance. She is also co-chair of the Asian Pacific Islander Employee Resource Group (API ERG).
What appealed to you about the role of co-chair of the API ERG?
It wasn’t something I’d done before, and I thought it would be interesting to try something new. My role with the API ERG has allowed me to meet people I’ve never interacted with. And I’ve gotten to know people that I do work with, in a different context. It has deepened those relationships and enriched my experience at the Lab.
You have certainly experienced a lot of change in your career. What is your attitude towards change?
Actually, I’m change-averse. I like routines. I have a planner that I live and die by. But a career counselor once reminded me that most people change careers multiple times in their lives. So I realized that whether it’s change you want or don’t want, it’s not the end of the world. It’s not necessarily my favorite thing, but I’ve become comfortable with it.
Do you have suggestions for others about how to handle change?
Have a plan B. I’ve had a plan B even when I didn’t think I needed one, and that’s been very helpful. When I realized I didn’t want to be a jockey forever, I was able to fall back on my college degree to try something different. And I think it’s important to be open to new experiences. My first role at the construction company was in operational efficiency. There was an unmet need at the company for safety management and an opening, so after talking to some people, I signed up for the role. It opened up a whole new career path for me. Change is inevitable, and for me, embracing that reality makes it easier to adapt when change is necessary.
Learn more about the Asian Pacific Islander Employee Resource Group (LDAP required)
