Sarah Anne Lawton was recently hired as the Preservation Assistant for the Office of Historic Preservation for the City of Boston. Originally from Dorchester, Massachusetts, Sarah Anne Lawton is a BPS Alumna and a recent Cum laude graduate of Suffolk University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in History with a concentration in Public History and a minor in Black Studies.

While on a full-tuition scholarship at Suffolk, Sarah was selected to be a Ronald E. McNair Scholar, where she conducted federally funded research and presented at conferences at Suffolk and the University of Washington. Sarah also received the John C. Cavanagh Prize in History and was an inductee of the Theta Lambda Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta National History Honors Society. 

Growing up in Dorchester, Sarah knew the historic sites and understood the importance of its unique history and architecture. As a student at the Mather School with her twin brother, the oldest public elementary school in North America, Sarah learned first-hand the importance of tradition and longevity.

During her time at Suffolk, Lawton was employed at a non-profit called I Have a Future, where she advocated for more funding in the Massachusetts youth jobs budget and youth criminal justice reform. She enjoyed working within her field of history as a Visitor Experience Staff at the Old State House and Old South Meeting House Museum. Lastly, as a full-time student in her senior year of college, she was a full-time employee with the City of Boston as the Community Partnerships Liaison for Boston City Councilor At-Large Julia Mejia. 

Sarah’s diverse experience in employment, community service, education, and the history of Boston brings a unique addition to the Office of Historic Preservation.