For Women’s History Month, we are continuing to highlight just some of the amazing women across the Cast & Crew organization. In this installment, we talked with Sarah Galbraith, President, Checks & Balances Payroll. Check out her interview below:
Sarah Galbraith
President, Checks & Balance Payroll
How long have you been with Cast & Crew?
I founded Checks & Balances in 2011, and we became part of the Cast & Crew family in 2018.
What was your very first job?
At 16, I was a stagehand, following the spot operator at a summer stock theatre in Connecticut. The pay was terrible, but it provided a place to live and dinner between shows on matinee days.
If you could pass on a piece of helpful guidance or advice to new female leaders, what would it be?
Speak up for yourself and your ideas, and don’t undervalue the asset that is you. Women are often expected to be deferential and are discouraged from taking credit for their achievements. Recognizing workplace bias or gender pay disparity is one thing; countering it is a lot harder, especially if you are conflict-averse or a bit shy and introverted. It can be uncomfortable to request a raise, to have eyes on you in a meeting, or to claim what you’ve earned, but it’s critical to do it, for your career and for everyone else who shares your experience.
Is there a woman from history that you find particularly inspiring?
I don’t mean to dodge the question, but I have to say all of them! History is full of brilliant women who haven’t gotten the recognition they deserve. We owe so much to our unknown foremothers, who worked, marched, and organized to change history and challenge notions about a women’s place in the world.
Who is the most influential woman you know? How does she inspire you?
I have been fortunate to have a family full of strong, smart, inspirational women. My grandmothers, my aunt, and especially my mother, taught me to value work and education; to treat people with respect and honor their dignity. My mother had many achievements in her career and her community and always found the time and energy to support me, her extended family, and friends. She was my sounding board and the person I hashed things out with throughout my career. I have continued to look at decisions and problems through the lens of the values she taught me; to come to solutions that are both beneficial and ethical; that reflect my priorities as a person.
In your career, have you made mistakes? If so, what did you learn from them?
Being a leader and manager in the workplace does not come naturally to me. I have made mistakes in interactions with people and managing conflict. I’ve sometimes given staff members too much latitude; sometimes not enough. Over time, I have developed an intuition for identifying the people who will work best on my team; those who are more likely to thrive in the kind of work environment I’m best at creating.
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Thank you so much to Sarah for taking the time to share a bit of her own history. Be sure to follow along as we continue to shine a spotlight on the many incredible women across our organization. We celebrate your achievements during Women's History Month and every day of the year!