Sarah Ruhland

On any given day, Sarah Ruhland might be teaching Special Education at KTEC Schools of Innovation, responding to a fire call, training paramedics at Waukesha County Technical College, or advocating for the mental health of first responders through Critical Incident Stress Management. That’s before you account for the competitive powerlifting, the radio DJ shifts on two different stations, or the book she wrote. Her academic credentials are equally wideranging, spanning five graduate degrees in fields including Biology Education, Fire Science, Emergency Management, Homeland Security, and Higher Education, along with a B.S. in Sociology with concentrations in Criminal Justice and Forensic Science from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

What ties it all together is a conviction that experience outside the classroom makes you a better educator. Sarah became a teacher to help students recognize their potential, especially the ones who have not yet seen it in themselves. She grew up in Italy, which gave her an early appreciation for different cultures and perspectives, and she brings that worldview into a classroom built on challenge, encouragement, and the belief that students are capable of more than they might expect.

When she finally slows down, she answers to two cats, Luke and Lorelai, who are pretty convinced they run the house. Her favorite time of year, hands down, is Halloween.