Sara

Meet Sara, our Hospital Manager. Sara has worked at Frontier since September of 2004. You can contact her at [email protected].

Do you go by Sara, or do you have any nicknames?
I go by Sara or my initials SFN, which is kind of a “thing” here at Frontier. My old school nickname is Scara- the CSRs (Client Service Representatives) came up with that when I was still working at the front desk as a callback to my old goth days and fearless nature, and it later became my roller derby name!

In your words, what is your job at Frontier?
I’ve played many roles at Frontier over my 2 decades here, and now am the Hospital Manager. It’s truly a jack-of-all trades role, which plays naturally into my neurodivergent skillset. I love creative problem solving, which is truly a superpower in veterinary medicine – it’s like an episode of MacGyver every day running a busy hospital!

Why did you decide to work at Frontier?
Of course, my job has changed a lot in the many years I’ve been here, but I started out as a CSR. Before moving from Seattle to Hillsboro in 2004, I worked in retail management for 10+ years, which was challenging but not always very rewarding. I decided at that time I wanted to find a job that I could truly enjoy. I have always loved animals, and the thing I most enjoyed about retail was working with people, so being a CSR at Frontier seemed like the perfect job. I didn’t even have a pet at that time, so I just walked in the lobby here with my resume, an explanatory cover letter, and a smile on my face. Once I saw the facility, I was blown away, and once I met everyone, I knew this was the place for me!

Do you have any pets?
A proud self-described crazy cat lady, my wife and I have 3 cats: Jack, a ridiculously handsome but not terribly smart black longhair floof; Boo, a devastatingly handsome Russian Blue who doubles as guard cat; and Dolly, our baby and ruler of our pet team – she’s simultaneously a serotonin factory and benevolent dictator, our machine of loving grace. Andre, our delightful golden retriever, also doubles as unofficial Frontier therapy dog as he spends most days in the office with me begging for snacks and snuggles while providing a shoulder to cry on during those tough days. We also have 2 turtles who are nearing 30 years old and that’s probably only half of their total lifespan!

Tell us a little-known fact about you!
I am originally from Buffalo, New York, and landed in Portland by way of London and Seattle. I love challenging myself athletically, so I have explored everything from Muay Thai kickboxing, long-distance cycling, competitive roller derby, and who knows what is next! I also am passionate about all things plants- I have an extensive collection of rare indoor tropical plants as well as large outdoor gardens. I like to joke that my house is a jungle in the forest! Probably the least known fact about me is that I have a BFA in Illustration. Sadly, there are not very many employers looking for a full-time illustrator! However, I do enjoy drawing in my free time, especially portraits of people and pets.