Sarah Ayyash
Policy Analyst
- BA Honours English (Carleton, 2022)
I’m currently working as a policy analyst with the Department of Justice Canada, supporting the Indigenous Rights and Reconciliation portfolio within the United Nations Declaration Act Secretariat. I contribute to the Annual Report to Parliament, where I spend a lot of time working with complex information and different voices. My role is to bring it all together into a report that is clear, accessible, and transparent.
Before that, I spent five years in education. I started by supporting students with disabilities within the Ottawa Catholic School Board, and then moved into a middle-school teaching role where I taught English along with subjects like Art, Religion, History, and Geography. My English Literature degree has been a consistent foundation throughout my path. It strengthened my writing, critical thinking, and ability to communicate ideas in ways that meet people where they are. These are skills I relied on in both education and policy work.
How has your Carleton English degree informed your professional and/or creative path?
My English degree shaped how I think and communicate, and that still shows up in everything I do. It helped me build strong writing skills, but more importantly, it taught me how to break down complex ideas, think critically, and consider different perspectives. I first applied that in education, whether I was supporting students with different learning needs or teaching English and making content feel accessible and engaging. Now, in my role with the Department of Justice Canada, those same skills carry over. I spend a lot of time working with complex information and different voices, and my role is to bring that together into reporting that is clear, accessible, and transparent. My English background really grounded me in that ability to communicate meaningfully and with intention.
Why Carleton? What specific experiences or opportunities did you benefit from while studying English at Carleton?
Carleton stood out to me because it felt like a place where I could grow both academically and personally. What I appreciated most was how discussion-based and writing-focused the program was. It pushed me to think more deeply, form my own perspectives, and communicate them clearly. Those experiences helped me become more confident in my voice and more thoughtful in how I share ideas with different audiences. That has stayed with me through every stage of my career, from teaching to policy work, where being able to communicate clearly and thoughtfully is a big part of what I do.