Sarah Burnett serves as vice principal at Hopkins Elementary and co-owns Burnett Farms Produce

Like the member who preceded her, the newest board appointee to the Somerset-Pulaski Economic Development Authority (SPEDA) brings a unique blend of education and entrepreneurship to the table, making her an ideal fit for an organization with a holistic approach to economic development.

Sarah Burnett, vice principal at Hopkins Elementary and co-owner of Burnett Farms Produce with her husband, began her four-year term on SPEDA’s board of directors at its February meeting. Somerset Mayor Alan Keck nominated her to the post, and Somerset City Council unanimously approved the nomination in January.

She replaces founding board member Forrest Spillman, an educator, businessman, avid outdoorsman and arts supporter who Keck said brought tremendous perspective to the organization and represents everything SPEDA’s founders envisioned when it was created.

“As I was thinking about who could fill those shoes, which is going to be tough, there’s another educator who also has some depth of experience who would be willing to serve and already has some community involvement,” Keck told city council members when presenting Burnett as a nominee. “So Mrs. Sarah Burnett, I think, fits that mold to a tee. She’s a business owner along with her husband; they own Burnett Farms, and she’s been in the education system for a long time. She has kids in this community. To me, she’s a slam dunk, a perfect fit.”

A devoted member of the Lake Cumberland area, Burnett is passionate about her community and dedicated to seeing it grow and thrive. She is a Chamber Leadership Class of 2024 graduate and has served as past chair of the Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board. She is an active member of Beacon Hill Baptist Church.

Burnett earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education at Eastern Kentucky University and master’s and education specialist degrees in educational leadership at the University of the Cumberlands. She is a proud mother of two boys, Luke and Jack, and enjoys contributing to her family’s and community’s well-being.

“I am honored and excited to join the SPEDA board and contribute to the economic growth of this community that I love,” Burnett said. “As an educator and business owner, I believe I can offer a unique perspective to this dynamic group that has done an incredible job of changing the way we view economic development. I look forward to helping ensure that our community continues to grow and prosper while maintaining a high quality of life.”

SPEDA President and CEO Chris Girdler believes Burnett will thrive in this role. She represents two sectors that are critically important to successful economic growth, he said: education and entrepreneurship.

“So much of SPEDA’s work in the past six years has been focused on improving quality of life and building a thriving workforce, and in both respects, Sarah Burnett brings a wealth of experience to our board,” Girdler said. “I am eager for her to be involved in our many education and workforce development initiatives and programs that support our existing businesses. She’s going to be an outstanding asset to our team.”

As a city-county partnership, SPEDA’s eight-member board of directors includes appointees from the City of Somerset and Pulaski County Government. Pulaski County Judge-Executive recently re-appointed Phoenix Preferred Care co-owner Tina Hamm to serve another four-year term on the board beginning in February. 

SPEDA’s board of directors meets at 3 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month in the SPEDA conference room on the third floor of the Somerset Energy Center.