Staff Spotlight: Sarah Heubel

How did your childhood influence your career choice?

I’ve always been really interested in numbers and how they line up. My mother passed away when I was young, so my dad raised me and my two siblings. I was the oldest, and so I was the one who was most responsible and helped out the most. I decided I needed a career that could pay the bills and be a steady source of income. I also was influenced by my two oldest cousins. They’re both lawyers now, but my cousin sat for the CPA exam when I was in high school, and later he helped me pass accounting tests and was a good role model for me generally. 

I also grew up in a very musical family. When I was very little, my mom and dad were wedding singers. They traveled around and sang at weddings. They also led our church band, so I was in the church band for most of my childhood. I’ve been part of many musical productions in school and at church. I tried dancing too, but decided to stick to singing. My dad is 72 and is still in a band, an old geezer band.

I grew up in Ohio but came to the Pacific Northwest because I had a lot of friends who moved out here and moved to the Mt. Hood area. I visited a lot, and eventually, it felt like home. 

How did your educational and career path lead you to Sustainable Northwest?

I didn’t practice accounting right out of college because I did not have the hands-on experience required for most entry-level accounting positions. Most accounting students do an internship, and most of those are unpaid or underpaid. I had to work full time through school, and I could not fit in an internship.
So I worked at a variety of non-accounting jobs for almost a decade, including a job as a receptionist at a nursing home. My boss saw that I had an accounting degree and said, let’s see how we can use it. That’s when I finally got my hands-on experience. 

When I came to Oregon, I got a job at Oregon Human Development Corporation working with Brian York (SNW’s current Chief Financial Officer). Brian taught me a lot over the years we worked together at OHDC, and he taught me in a way that really made the information stick. So when he came to Sustainable Northwest and needed to hire an additional accountant, I was interested. 

What do you like most about your position at Sustainable Northwest?

Everyone is great to work with. But what I like most is the flexibility. I’m more productive when I work from home, and this job offers me that opportunity. I live in a place that is pretty rural. I like coming into the office occasionally to see folks, but not having to commute regularly helps me produce more quality work.

Passions outside of work: All kinds of outdoorsy things – mostly summertime things like fishing, boating, hiking, and camping in our new trailer. I’m not too much of a winter outdoors person. Also, last year we bought a 1985 Goldwing motorcycle. I love going for motorcycle rides.

Something you think is overrated: Tacos. I’ll eat a taco, but I don’t get the Taco Tuesday thing.

Favorite thing to do on a day off: Doing projects around the house and meal prepping.

Favorite place in the PNW: Rockaway Beach

Favorite Movie: Willy Wonky and the Chocolate Factory (the original with Gene Wilder) 

Cats or dogs?: Dogs