People of PacifiCan: Sarah Tang
Meet Sarah.
With a double major in Music and International Relations, this Business Officer truly believes in the power of teamwork and the magic that unfolds in economic development when people connect through meaningful conversations.
When she’s not identifying opportunities and providing convening support for British Columbians, you might find her sight-reading piano sonatas or educating people on the importance of sunscreen.
Get to know this inspiring PacifiCan’er who brings not only an outstanding skillset but also so much joy to our agency!
How did you arrive at PacifiCan?
My arrival at PacifiCan was a bit of a chance encounter. I was finishing my last day at the B.C. Ministry of Jobs, Economic Development, and Innovation (now: B.C. Ministry of Jobs and Economic Growth) when my mentor had asked if I wanted to meet a Senior Business Officer working on business development and trade. That chat led to an interview, which led to an offer (on my birthday!), and the rest is history.
What interested you about PacifiCan?
Much of my initial impressions about PacifiCan came from that coffee chat with the Senior Business Officer. Three things stood out to me in particular: the fantastic people that you get to collaborate with, the diversity of files that you get to work on, and the privilege of being able to see the impact of the work you put in. Almost four years later, I’m happy to confirm that he was spot on.
What do you do in a typical day?
In a nutshell, I’m constantly learning and applying that knowledge. Every week, I aim to learn something new - whether through conversations with ecosystem and industry stakeholders or by diving into topics that land on my desk. I use that insight to identify, evaluate, and propose potential investments that truly move the needle on a variety of objectives: expanding access to clean, reliable energy for Indigenous communities, scaling impact-driven ventures, modernizing workforce development in aerospace sub-sectors, bringing more life-changing, B.C.-grown innovations to new markets... (the list goes on!) For existing investments, I collaborate with clients to troubleshoot challenges and help them stay on track with their milestones. And for all clients, I leverage my learnings to help uncover and unlock opportunities.
What have you enjoyed about your role at PacifiCan thus far?
The people, by far! Economic development is a team sport, and I am privileged to play this sport with a group of driven, solutions-oriented, and generous colleagues. I am also endlessly inspired by our clients; people who see a problem and their instinct is to do something about it. Witnessing their ingenuity, creativity, and grit inspires me to show up as my best self every day.
What city are you originally from?
Victoria, B.C.
What is your educational background?
Bachelor of Music, Double major in Music and International Relations from the University of British Columbia.
Any advice you have for people who may want to join PacifiCan?
Schedule a coffee chat with a PacifiCan’er – you never know what could happen.
Can you give us one or two things that you enjoy outside of work?
One of my hobbies is sight-reading Mozart piano sonatas. I used to be able to sight-read orchestral scores back in music school, and it’s been a project of mine to re-build this skill! I am also very passionate about sunscreen so, naturally, I have been creating a definitive ranking of all the sunscreens that I’ve tried (and I’ve tried many).
Name 3 songs that are on your Spotify Playlist
1. One of these Taylor Swift hits: “August” (long pond studio session version) // “The Other Side of the Door”
2. “Enigma Variations” (specifically variations 3-5, 11, and 14) by Elgar
3. Come grab a coffee with me to find out!