Sarah Wilkinson brings more than 25 years of municipal and professional experience managing organizations, properties, offices, and events with care, discretion, and meticulous attention to detail. For 18 years, she brought that same steady, principled leadership to the Town of Rockport as a member of the Board of Selectmen, serving five terms as Chairwoman.

Growing up on Cape Ann and now raising her own family here, Sarah’s strong work ethic and sense of responsibility were shaped early in life—and were profoundly defined during her college years when the unexpected loss of her father changed everything.

While financing and continuing her studies, Sarah stepped into a role far beyond her years, helping to run her family’s local inn, supporting her mother, and helping raise her three younger siblings. That experience taught her resilience, compassion, and determination, and showed her how to lead under pressure and be someone people can depend on.

Sarah went on to manage an office at Harvard University, serve as Director of a Boston-based start-up nonprofit, and work closely with a prominent philanthropist as an Executive Assistant and Estate Manager overseeing multiple properties in Boston, throughout the North Shore, and across the country. Drawing on these experiences, she founded her own property management business.

Sarah earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and an MBA with a concentration in Finance from Suffolk University. She lives in Rockport with her husband Greg and their two sons, Wyatt and Finn, who both attend Rockport High School. When she isn’t working or volunteering you can find Sarah on the sidelines of her boys’ soccer or baseball games, watching them surf from the shores of Good Harbor or Cape Ann’s other beaches, fishing for striped bass, or helping her son haul lobster traps.

Today, Sarah sees her work, civic service, and devotion to family as part of the same legacy, one grounded in responsibility, service, and showing up for others. Guided by the values her parents instilled and shaped by decades of local leadership, she is taking the next step in her commitment to public service by running for State Representative.

Sarah’s Board of Selectmen work

Sarah Wilkinson is a longtime Cape Ann resident and a trusted community leader who served Rockport with distinction for 18 years on the Board of Selectmen, including five terms as Chairwoman. Throughout her tenure, Sarah helped guide the town through complex financial decisions, major infrastructure investments, and periods of extraordinary challenge, building a record of steady, principled, and transparent leadership.

When Sarah retired from the Board in April 2024, she was formally honored by Senator Bruce Tarr and Representative Ann-Margaret Ferrante for her years of service and leadership.

During her time on the Board, Rockport consistently maintained one of the lowest property tax rates in Essex County and earned a strong, stable AA+ bond rating. Sarah played a central role in crafting and presenting balanced town budgets that protected essential services—including schools, public safety, and public works—while safeguarding Rockport’s long-term fiscal health.

Among her proudest accomplishments, Sarah partnered with the Chief of Police and Superintendent of Schools to fully fund and implement a School Resource Officer program. This initiative has become a cornerstone of the Rockport Public Schools, enhancing student safety and significantly strengthening relationships between students and the Police Department.

Sarah supported and advanced critical capital projects, including securing and funding a $1.3 million FEMA grant for the Long Beach seawall—strengthening coastal infrastructure and protecting public assets in the face of climate change. Her leadership also emphasized thoughtful planning, environmental stewardship, and preservation of Rockport’s unique character, including the permanent conservation of Woodland Acres, Straitsmouth Woods, and Andrews Woods.

During her tenure, Sarah helped lead Rockport through both the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the pandemic, she chaired Rockport’s Reopening Committee and was instrumental in bringing outdoor dining to town, an initiative that continues to support residents, local businesses, and the tourism economy.

She was deeply engaged in Town Meeting governance, helping residents navigate complex warrant articles and citizen petitions on issues ranging from public health and quality of life to housing affordability. Beyond policy and budgeting, Sarah strengthened Rockport’s civic life by recruiting, appointing, and supporting volunteer boards and committees, ensuring diverse perspectives and strong leadership throughout town government. She also partnered with Rockport Public Schools on numerous civic engagement presentations and student projects.

Sarah has and continues to champion several million dollars in Community Preservation Act projects, which she believes are essential to improving quality of life in local communities beyond the limits of tight municipal and state budgets.

After 18 years of service, Sarah stepped aside confident that Rockport was financially stable, resilient, and well positioned for the future.

Beyond the Board of Selectmen

In addition to her 18 years of service on the Rockport Board of Selectmen, Sarah Wilkinson continues to play an active role in strengthening Cape Ann’s civic life. She serves on the Board of the CCB Foundation, which operates the CORE Peer Recovery and Resource Center in Gloucester, supporting individuals affected by substance use disorder. She is also Vice President of the Friends of Rockport Athletics and volunteers as bookkeeper for the Sandy Bay Sailing Program and Scholarship Fund, helping ensure access to programs that support youth, families, and community well-being.

Sarah believes that living on Cape Ann is a privilege and that responsible leadership means protecting what makes our communities special while planning carefully for the future. She brings the same collaborative, fiscally responsible approach to her volunteer and nonprofit work that defined her leadership in town government.

Sarah is running for State Representative to continue her commitment to public service, bringing experience, integrity, and a proven record of leadership to advocate for Cape Ann at the State House