A lifelong passion for learning can show up in countless ways over the course of our careers. For Sarah Koehn, Leadership Development Program Manager at PitchBook, that love of learning first drew her into teaching before she found her way to PitchBook.
“I’ve always adored learning,” Koehn shares. “In college, I tutored at Seattle-area schools. After graduating, I got my master’s and started teaching high school English. But by my fourth year, I was burning out. I still loved learning—I just needed a different way to channel that passion and my skills.”
That exhaustion ultimately pushed Koehn to go back to school for an instructional design certificate. Once she earned it and left teaching, she spent the summer applying for entry-level roles before landing a job as a training program assistant at a nonprofit. From there, she never turned back.
“My first L&D role was very operational. I quickly learned how to manage training programs and support both internal and external vendors. That experience was key in helping me understand my strengths in a learning and development setting,” she explains.
Now at PitchBook, Koehn gets to nurture that same love of learning she’s had since she was young.
Here, she opens up about her current role, how she made her career shift, and her approach to balancing work and life.
What brought you to PitchBook? What stood out about the company, and how did you know it was right for you?
During the pandemic, my old team went through a restructuring, and I knew I wanted to work somewhere that actively invested in talent development. When I met the PitchBook team, I was blown away by their passion and expertise. Every person I talked to had stories about how the learning team (PitchBook’s talent development group) had shaped their experience, from onboarding to long-term growth. I was thrilled by the chance to join a company that prioritizes development so much! The role itself also appealed to me—it blended my favorite parts of this field: learning experience design, facilitation, and program management.
What does your role involve now? What’s the most fulfilling part?
I oversee the learning and development path for our first-line leaders. I also collaborate with other teams on learning solutions for their employees, facilitate different learning experiences for individuals and groups, and lead company-wide projects. Right now, I’m especially excited about designing and rolling out our leader competencies. We’ve made great progress, and there’s still more to do!
What was the toughest part of transitioning from teaching to your current role? How’d you handle it?
One of my biggest challenges was reframing my experience for the corporate world. As a high school teacher, I was constantly designing lessons and evaluating learning—but the content was totally different. To break into corporate L&D, I had to highlight my skills and the outcomes to show how my background applied.
Do any skills from teaching help you now? If so, how?
Plenty! Instructional design, facilitation, and measuring learning all carry over. But I’d say emotional intelligence has been the most valuable. Teaching meant working with all kinds of personalities, communication styles, and learning styles. I had to adjust my approach for everyone—whether it was my boss, parents, or a student. That situational awareness and adaptability still serve me daily.
What advice would you give to someone looking to make a career pivot like yours?
You can totally do it! If possible, find a generalist role that exposes you to different aspects of the field you’re moving into. That really helped me figure out where I wanted to grow.
How do you balance work and parenthood? How do you set boundaries between the two?
Honestly? I don’t have a hard line between work and home life—and maybe that’s unpopular to admit. I picture my life in buckets: current work, career growth, marriage, kids, friends, family, health, etc. When I focus on one, I’m “filling that bucket.” I’m always checking each one and adjusting based on what’s needed. Some weeks, work takes up a lot, and I’m happy to give it that time because my job matters to me. Other times, like this year, I’ve refocused on my health bucket and returned to yoga after a break. There’s never a perfect split for me—my kids are little and can’t even open a cheese stick yet! So, I use PitchBook’s programs to work the way I need to while still being there for my family and friends.
How does PitchBook support employees in prioritizing self-care? How has the flexible culture helped you?
I’m so grateful for PitchBook’s flexibility. I use core work hours to pick up my kids by 4 p.m., then spend the next three hours with family before catching up on messages after bedtime. The hybrid schedule saves me commute time or lets me work from home when my kids have appointments. And when my husband travels, I use “Work from Anywhere” days to solo parent more easily. It’s not glamorous, but it’s incredibly practical for my family.
How would you describe your leadership style? What’s your experience been as a woman in leadership?
I aim to be approachable, collaborative, and committed. I hold myself to high standards and want to create an environment where others feel motivated and supported to do great work together.