Sarah Palmer, M.S.

“I have a passion for understanding what motivates individuals and how this motivation translates into positive outcomes for both employees and organizations.”

Growing up in a family-owned business, Sarah was constantly exposed to the ins and outs of organizational life from the perspective of the CEO. This—coupled with a hearing about various issues that employees faced and attempting to understand workplace dynamics—led to her desire to pursue an education in both psychology and business.

Since joining CMA in 2017, she has excelled at listening closely to clients, putting herself in their shoes to fully understand where they are coming from. One of her primary interests is in creating talent management solutions for organizations, with a strong focus on enabling effective feedback in the performance appraisal process. Her personal research is focused on organizational justice, equity, and defining the boundaries of work roles.

Sarah earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Ashland University in Ohio, with a dual minor in Business Administration and Sociology. She’s received her Master of Science from Saint Louis University, where she is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. As a graduate student, she’s been involved in many research projects, including studies on employee engagement and goal orientation. She’s also worked as an independent contractor for a global management consulting firm on projects that involved job analysis and structured interviews.

In her free time, Sarah loves spending time outdoors, discovering new restaurants with her weekly lunch group, and returning to her hometown of Ohio to visit with family.