Sara Whelan

Sara Whelan joined LMU as their Trust and Estate Administrator, Gift Planning in 2022. Her role involves directing and managing the settlement of trusts and estates, and she is responsible for managing all the University in-kind gifts.

Whelan brings a decade of experience working in the legal field. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from LMU in political science and her Juris Doctorate from the University of West Los Angeles in 2008. Over the last decade, she has also been a full-time mom, community leader, and fundraiser for schools and local nonprofit organizations. In her free time, Whelan likes to hike with her husband and two children, visit Disneyland, travel, bake, try new restaurants, and spend time with her friends and family.

While serving as President of the El Segundo Library Board of Directors, Sara was instrumental in fundraising and advocating for the placement of a Tongva mural "Portals to Memory" to be painted within the library walls. 

Since her days at LMU Sara has had a special connection to Ballona that flourished when she began attending various programs, field trips, and events with her children at the wetlands. Sara looks forward to joining the Friends of Ballona Wetlands Board where her love of nature, fundraising background, and legal mind will assist in helping to preserve the wetlands for future generations.