County Legislator Sarah Anker was elected to serve the people of Suffolk County's 6th Legislative District in a special election on March 29, 2011 and subsequently re-elected in November of that same year. Prior to joining the legislature, she was a longtime community leader, public servant and working mom with a track record of standing up for the community and getting results. Sarah lives in Mt. Sinai with her three children.
Sarah was born on a Naval Base in Louisiana and is the daughter of a disabled veteran. She has lived on Long Island for the past 25 years and has gotten involved in the issues that matter to our community.
After Sarah's grandmother died of breast cancer and in response to the staggeringly high breast cancer rate on Long Island, Sarah founded the Community Health and Environment Coalition (CHEC). Serving as its director, she led CHEC to press for greater awareness of the links between the environment and our health. Her advocacy was critical to advance stalled efforts to map cancer clusters in our community.
Her leadership was recognized by the Times-Beacon as their "Woman of the Year in the Environment" and she serves on advisory boards for Congressman Tim Bishop, State Senator Ken LaValle and Suffolk County.
Along with her friends and neighbors, she stood up to powerful developers and longtime politicians to form the Heritage Trust. Through this advocacy, Heritage Park shines today as a community jewel rather than yet another big box store.
Before joining the County Legislature, she served as Director of the Town of Brookhaven Office of Energy and Sustainability, working to create jobs and save taxpayer dollars by spearheading investments in green jobs initiatives. These efforts put Long Islanders to work, make homes energy efficient and cut LIPA and heating oil bills for Long Island residents.
Sarah provides new leadership and a new voice for our community. She is fighting to make sure Suffolk County residents pay fair taxes and get their fair share of school aid. She supports open space preservation and green job growth.
Sarah continues to bring a different perspective, placing greater focus on our area's high breast cancer rates.