Sara Jaffe
joined Signature Theatre as Director of Development in 2002, charged with broadening and deepening relationships between Signature Theatre and the community. Sara creates and implements fundraising strategies to increase the organization's visibility and support from individuals, corporations, and foundations, and manages a variety of Patron Services issues in the newly constructed “sleek” and “swanky” Signature (New York Times), which opened in January 2007. Under Sara’s direction, the capital campaign for the project exceeded its 7.5 million dollar goal by 3 million dollars (raising 10.3 million dollars), and during her tenure, Signature’s donor base has grown from 500 donors to 2,000. Sara works closely with a 23-member Board of Directors, staff and key volunteer leadership to advocate and achieve the fundraising goals and mission of the organization. Her experience in strategic planning, research, cultivation, special event planning, and close relationships with the philanthropic community have been instrumental to Signature’s growth and sustainability.

Previous to Signature, Sara spent three years as Manager of Corporate Relations at The Shakespeare Theatre, cultivating new national partnerships and support for an array of artistic and community initiatives, most notably with the Lawyers Committee and Congressional relations committees. Past arts programming credits include her work for PBS Television News and Public Affairs, The Kennedy Center and Wolf Trap for the Performing Arts. Sara is a member of Leadership Arlington, Class of 2006. Sara holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with distinctive honors in Theatre and Dance from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. An avid tennis player and visual artist, Sara resides with her husband in Washington, DC.