“Too many people act like you have to choose between purpose and profit. In my experience, the organizations that invest in both are the ones that outperform.”

Sara ”Axel” Axelbaum is a fellow at Coqual’s Global Lab, and an executive who builds cultures that perform and organizations that are data-led and future-proof.

As Global EVP of Impact and Executive Board member at MiQ Digital, Sara served as a direct strategic partner to the CEO and Chief People Officer, guided the company through a successful private equity acquisition, and built accountability infrastructure that proved doing good could translate to performing well. She created MiQ’s award-winning I.D.E.A. (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accountability) Report, which created the data-driven model allowing them to close a pay gap in one year and keep it closed. This work was recognized by the Ragan Awards, SXSW, and Sara was honored as a Top Women in Media & Ad Tech as a DEI Champion.

Sara began her career in media advertising agencies, which evolved into running global client services, account management, advertising operations, and enterprise transformation. At Fox Networks Group, she led client service and revenue operations teams, supporting a nine-figure book of business through a digital transformation. She also founded Women@21CF and grew it to over 3,000 members.

Outside of work, Sara channels the same energy into her community and creative life. She co-organized her village’s inaugural Pride celebration, serves on the boards of her public library and Concordia Music Conservatory, and volunteers as a crisis counselor. She is a patented inventor and is working on publishing her first middle grade fantasy novel, The Mythical Creature Conservatory, co-imagined with her son. She studied at Ithaca College and lives in the New York area with her husband Michael, two kids, and a deep belief that being of service is the path to joy.