Sarah Elizabeth Sullivan
Jan. 24, 1986-March 25, 2025
Sacramento, California

Sarah Elizabeth Sullivan, 39, of Sacramento, California, passed away on March 25, 2025, from complications during heart transplant surgery.

Sarah was born on January 24, 1986, in Boston, Massachusetts, with a rare and usually fatal heart condition. She was a fighter, surviving three open-heart surgeries before her sixth birthday. She was a curious and active learner who graduated summa cum laude from Rutgers University with a BA in History, and went on to earn both a Master’s in Bioethics and a Juris Doctor with a concentration in healthcare from Case Western Reserve University.

Sarah built a distinguished career in public service as an attorney with the California Department of Health Care Services and later the California Department of Insurance in their Healthcare Equity and Access Office. Her colleagues knew her as a sharp legal mind, a steady advocate, and someone who brought clarity and heart to even the most complex work.

Sarah was a remarkable, strong, and fiercely independent woman who touched many lives with grace, wit, and compassion. Her warmth and brilliance will be deeply missed by all and forever remembered. Her wry sense of humor was contagious, her insight disarming, and her kindness unforgettable. Outside the office, Sarah embraced life fully. She found joy in trying new and unusual foods, travelling, and mentoring young women pursuing careers in healthcare law.

Sarah is survived by her father, Joe Sullivan; her mother, Trish Sullivan; and her beloved dog, Cali, who live in Pleasanton, CA.

Visiting hours will be held on Sunday, April 6, 2025, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at Graham-Hitch Mortuary, 4167 First Street in Pleasanton. The funeral service is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on April 7, 2025, at St. Augustine’s Church, 3999 Bernal Street, Pleasanton, California.

The family asks that donations in Sarah’s memory be sent to The Benderson Family Heart Center at Boston Children’s Hospital or Unit J7 at Stanford University Hospital in Palo Alto, CA.

Tags: public service