Go Ask Mom
Meet This Mom: Sarah Zinn
Stephanie Llorente gets to know a different mom in our community. This month, we get to know Durham mom Sarah Zinn in this Q&A.
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By Stephanie Llorente, WRAL contributor
DURHAM, N.C. — Each month: Stephanie Llorente gets to know a different mom in our community. This month, we get to know Durham mom Sarah Zinn in this Q&A.
What’s your name, and in what part of the Triangle do you spend most of your time?
I’m Sarah Zinn, and I live in Durham, but work in Raleigh. I can be found around the Brier Creek, southeast Durham area in my free time, and in midtown Raleigh during the work week.
Tell us a little about your family.
I’m originally from Fayetteville. My parents still live there. I’m married to a really laid back, funny guy named Aaron, and we have a four-year-old son, Carter. Aaron works for the City of Durham as a Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator, and I work in affordable housing. We’re lucky in to have both of our families within an hour and a half of us.
What is your favorite activity to do with your family?
We keep it pretty chill, honestly, and hang out at home. But, we like to try and do some fun adventures when work schedules allow.
Tell us about your current career and how long you’ve worked in that field.
I work full-time in community development and affordable housing. I am an employee of the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency and serve as a Housing Rehabilitation Officer. In non-government speak, I work in low-income housing and help people, especially elderly and disabled individuals, remain in their homes through programs financed by the Agency.
What do you love about parenting as a working mother?
I love that I have something for me that I excel at and that I enjoy doing. I believe feeling valued and good about yourself makes you a better mom. I also love that my son gets to see an example of a mom that works outside of the home and the sacrifices and choices that we all make as a family.
Describe your employment journey to date. (i.e., How did you get where you are?)
When I look back on my career, I smile because I’m really proud of it. I found myself in community development after graduating college with an English degree because I had grant writing experience. I worked part-time for my mom after college writing grants and that was the initial reason I was hired at the consulting firm I worked for right out of college. The firm assisted small and rural communities across the state to apply for federal funding and then administer the grants. I didn’t even know community development existed before that job. I had an amazing boss that kept throwing things at me and they stuck, so she threw more. As a consultant, I had an opportunity to learn a lot in a short amount of time. In seven years, I worked my way up from a Project Assistant to a Project Coordinator and was running multiple projects when I left. I also got my Master’s in Public Administration, working during the day and going to class at night for three years.
I took those skills and went to work for the City of Durham. Once again, I was given some really great opportunities and had the chance to work for supervisors that let me grow. During this time, I served two terms as the Secretary Treasurer and a term and a half as the President of the North Carolina Community Development Association. I ended my time with the City in April of this year as the Contracts and Compliance Manager. I’m now working as a Housing Rehabilitation Officer for the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency. In this role, I serve as a case manager for those projects I worked on as a consultant years ago. It’s all come full circle.
Tell us about a challenge you’ve overcome as a mother in the workplace.
As cliched as this will sound, finding balance in wanting to be successful in my career and wanting to be a good mom. During the pandemic, the community development world received a lot of additional funding for emergency rental assistance, homeless assistance and other funds that were new with changing requirements. A lot of those changes went through me and my team. It was hard. There was a lot of stress, and it was hard to balance those demands with the demands of my family. I dealt with a lot of anxiety during that time and learned about seasons and how to advocate for myself and ask for help.
What are you passionate about outside of work and family?
Since changing jobs, I’ve had more time to read, which I love! I haven’t had the time or energy in the past few years to read, and I missed it. I also enjoy cooking and using my Peloton. But, I’m also passionate about reselling. I’m really active with a local consignment sale and resell items online. It’s fun and helps fund my shopping habits.
How do you incorporate self-care into a busy schedule?
I work out in the morning before I have the chance to tell myself no. I have a great husband that works hard to give me some time to myself every week. I also have amazing concerts in my car on my commute from Durham to my office in Raleigh. Belting out songs and car dancing is amazingly cathartic.
What is one book, podcast, article, social media account, blog or other resource you can recommend for moms?
The Lazy Genius on Instagram (@thelazygenius). I learned about Kendra through a fellow mom in Restored for Moms, which is another great resource! She provides simple solutions that solve problems, but not all the problems at one time. She’s also big about accepting the season of life that you are in right now.
If you have a favorite go-to spot in the Triangle, what is it? (dining, park, activity, entertainment venue – anything!)
Eno River for outdoor time. Nantucket for their half slices of cake (free with a meal on Tuesday and Saturday!). Museum of Life and Science for time with your kiddos (the annual pass is the best money you will ever spend!). Cocoa Cinnamon for coffee and churros.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
For me, the pandemic was a huge turning point in my career. It no doubt changed the world and how we work, but for me, it also brought some of my lowest points and, from that, some of the best lessons as a woman. Before having my son, I was a very independent person. I still consider myself to be an independent woman and do not hesitate to remind people that, “I don’t need a man.”
But the truth is, the pandemic taught me a lot about a village and how we desperately need one, especially as working moms. We need husbands and partners that are proud of us and support our goals and careers with action, not just words. We need friends and family that cheer us on and pick us up when the season is hard. We need supervisors that push us to succeed, but also realize that our families have to come first. We need a community. Finding groups like Restored for Moms is great ways to build a village and have people that are in your same season, or have been in your season, and can support you along the way. We’re powerful and strong women, but it’s also okay to ask for help and support. It doesn’t make you any less powerful or strong.
