Sara Gast has served as the deputy executive director for the Carnegie Classifications since 2022, during which time she has led efforts to redesign and release the 2025 Carnegie Classifications and connected with thousands of institutional leaders across the country on their use.

Prior to joining ACE, she worked in a variety of education communications and policy roles across the public and non-profit sectors. These include serving as chief of staff at the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching, director of communications at the Tennessee Department of Education under Commissioner Candice McQueen and Governor Bill Haslam, and press aide and director of strategic communications at the U.S. Department of Education, working for Secretary Arne Duncan.  

Sara graduated from Vanderbilt University with a degree in English and sociology.