Board Member
- Koch Industries Global Business Transformation Leader, 26 years of leadership positions at Koch
- Bachelor of Science in General Studies and Administration of Justice, Wichita State University
Every meaningful change begins with someone choosing to act.
In 2013, one decision—made on one freezing night—set everything in motion. A desperate Facebook post was circulating about a dog left behind when his owners moved. He had been abandoned for weeks in a muddy run with no food, no water and no shelter. Because the property sat in an unincorporated county, there were no animal control services to call. No system to step in and with a blizzard approaching, it was clear what would happen if no one acted. This dog would die. People shared the post. Hundreds of comments poured in – sad faces, anger, “someone should do something.”
Sarah Coffman didn’t reshare it. She and a friend got in her car.
With no plan beyond refusing to look away, they went to the property. The dog was terrified. Defensive. The product of neglect. The mud was ankle-deep. Ice coated their clothes and skin. Feeling left their fingers. But they stayed. And eventually, they earned trust – enough to slip on a leash and bring him to safety.
That night, one dog survived because someone chose action over scrolling.
That moment became the foundation of Wichita Animal Action League.
What followed that night made one thing clear: action alone wasn’t enough to create lasting change. Turning urgency into impact required planning, accountability, and people willing to do the long, often unseen work. Sarah, along with the founding Board of Directors, Tess Goodman, Jackie Stuart, Becky Craft, Stephanie McCurdy and Christy Fischer transformed a powerful idea into a sustainable organization. Together, they helped move WAAL from a moment of response into a trusted, community-focused organization powered by volunteers, fosters, donors, advocates, and everyday people who choose to help.
Today, while Sarah has moved out of state and on to other endeavors, those founding members remain actively engaged in WAAL’s work.
WAAL's mission is to prevent and mitigate crisis for animals, their owners, and our community by offering programs for people and their pets that are targeted at:
Adoption
Spay/Neuter Services
Community Outreach