Dr. Filbee has degrees from Acadia University (B.Sc. Biology), Dalhousie University (MBA / LLB) and a Doctor of Management in Organizational Complexity from the University of Hertfordshire, UK.

She began her career with the law firm McInnes Cooper & Robertson in Halifax, where she practiced for 11 years, the last three as a corporate law partner. She left the practice of law to take up a position with Peat Marwick Stevenson & Kellogg (later KPMG Management Consulting), heading up the Atlantic Canada outplacement and downsizing practice for the firm. She later became President of the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council. Following her term with the Council, she spent three and a half years with CIBC, first as Manager, Corporate Development in the field of Public Private Partnerships and then as Director, Commercial Banking. In 2001, she started a strategic consulting practice and later moved to Ottawa to take up the position of Vice-President, Operations for a start-up company providing web-enabled human resources tools.

She joined the Public Service of Canada in Industry Canada’s Industry Sector in 2002. In January 2009, she became Assistant Deputy Minister of Lands and Economic Development at Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada. In March 2014, she was appointed Assistant Deputy Minister, Atlantic Region, for Service Canada. She was seconded to the Dalhousie School of Public Administration as Public Servant in Residence in September 2020 and is now serving as adjunct.

Sara is active in the not-for-profit sector. She lives in Chester, NS with her dog Romeo, and cat Bandit, and enjoys family, friends and community and a wide range of interests including sailing, golf, kayaking, curling, skiing, karate, music and reading