FASD United Board Member

Sara Messelt is thrilled to be joining the FASD United’s Board of Directors. Sara has spent her career dedicated to improving the quality of life for children and their families and in Minnesota and beyond. Through her work as Executive Director at Proof Alliance she worked collaboratively to improve access to diagnostic services, developed family support programs, and lead prevention campaigns which impacted communities throughout Minnesota. She led efforts to pass legislation in Minnesota to require screening for prenatal exposure to alcohol as children enter foster care as well as expanding programs for women who need services to support their health and the health of their babies during pregnancy and post partum. 

Sara served as Co-PI for the Safest Choice program, a collaboration between Proof Alliance and Boston Medical Center, which seeks to provide training for prenatal and pediatric providers on FASD. Since her retirement from Proof Alliance in 2022, she continues to serve as part of the Advisory Board for this program. She also participates in FASD United’s public policy committee. 

Before her years at Proof Alliance Sara worked for the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation as Associate Director of Health Promotion Programs and traveled extensively training volunteers and staff on program implementation. Sara received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Minnesota and is a graduate of the Minnesota Council on Nonprofits Leadership Institute. Sara was a member of the ICCFASD from 2008-2010 and also was a committee member on the Building Statewide Systems Conference sponsored by SAMSHA.