
Sarah Dankens
5.0
(5)
AP French coach | Native French-American, language & cultural fluency
Studied at Harvard Kennedy School
Works at Harvard Business School
Not currently taking new clients
Sarah’s AP Exams Qualifications
Scored a 5 on the AP Exams
As a native French-English bilingual who grew up in a French family and has lived, studied, and worked professionally on both sides of the Atlantic, I help students prepare for the AP French Language and Culture exam with confidence. Doing well on this exam isn't just about grammar. It requires genuine fluency, cultural literacy, and the ability to express yourself naturally across a range of tasks. I can help you develop all of that, from written expression and listening comprehension to the spoken word tasks and cultural comparison components. Whether you're starting from a solid base or pushing for a 5, I bring both native fluency and real cultural depth to our sessions.
Sarah can help with:
Tailored Study Plan
Test Prep Strategy
Tutoring
Sarah also coaches for Master’s Programs, Climate Tech & Sustainability, and Cooking. View all.
Work Experience

Summer Associate
The World Bank Group
May 2025 - August 2025
2030 Water Resources Group, World Bank Water Global Department A multi-donor trust fund hosted by the World Bank, driving water security via public-private partnerships • Led global review of WRG’s private sector engagement strategy; delivered recommendations to mobilize private capital and redesign funding/governance models to align with corporate water risks across 5 countries • Developed private-sector engagement strategy for a first-of-its-kind global water-reuse network

Policy Analyst
Global Commission on the Economics of Water
May 2025 - August 2025
Resarched, wrote, and published the following briefs: • Dankens, Buisson. The Economics of Water for Transitioning Food Systems. International Water Management Institute, 2025 • Dankens, Buisson. The Water–Energy–Food Nexus. International Water Management Institute, 2025

Consultant
Water Wiser
January 2025 - November 2025
Strategy consulting firm specializing in corporate water risk management for CAC 40 companies • Developed a supply-chain water-risk assessment tool to identify priority agricultural raw materials and regions, assessed client water-risk exposure, delivered recommendations to enhance supply-chain resilience and advance nature targets • Key clients: Kering, LVMH, Diptyque, and Maison Francis Kurkdjian

Consultant, Strategy & Transformation
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
December 2024 - March 2025
For FACT Alliance, part of Abdul Latif Jameel Water and Food Systems Lab (J-WAFS) at MIT Consulted and designed food system strategy.

Case Writer & Senior Researcher
Harvard Business School
October 2024 - Present
• Co-authored 2 case studies on the political economy of U.S. agriculture with Sr. Assoc. Dean Forest Reinhardt; conducted stakeholder interviews and secondary research, analyzed financial and operational data, wrote publication materials • Cases featured in HBS’s annual Agribusiness Executive Education Program Published cases: Swanson Family Farms. Harvard Business School, 2026 U.S. and Global Agriculture: The Next Four Years. Harvard Business School, 2025

Water & Biodiversity Strategy Manager
Danone
January 2023 - July 2024
Interviewer
Team reporting to Chief Strategy Officer • Implemented nature risk and opportunity assessments; facilitated mitigation strategies for at-risk sourcing and operations; delivered external/regulatory reporting materials; launched 2024 water strategy with updated KPIs • Co-developed stewardship & sourcing projects to address risks, secured external partners & bank co-financing (>$200K) • Managed and expanded water-related strategic partnerships (e.g., Ramsar, UN Global Compact, NGOs, and dev. banks) • Led advocacy at global forums, event planning, and C-Suite briefing/speech preparation (e.g., UN Water 2023)

Associate Procurement Manager
Danone
January 2022 - December 2022
EU Packaging Procurement Manager, Waters Division • Managed end-to-end procurement from marketing brief to product delivery; oversaw 10+ suppliers and 200+ internal clients; led a ~1k-reference/year marketing activations portfolio; analyzed performance to optimize processes and costs

Pass
French National Cooking Exam
2022 - 2022
Trained for the national French culinary exam. Passed: 15/20 The CAP Cuisine is the French state-recognized professional culinary diploma, equivalent to a vocational degree in classical French cooking. It's the foundational credential of the French culinary system, covering classical technique, kitchen management, food safety, and practical cooking exams evaluated by industry professionals.

Project Manager
AKQA
June 2018 - July 2021
Interviewer
Global digital design and innovation Agency - Promoted from Junior Project Manager in September 2019 • Managed 3 cross-functional teams (15+ people) using Agile methodology; oversaw $4MM yearly budget for digital brand strategy projects; developed SOWs and sprint plans; facilitated client communications and contract negotiations • Principal client: Verizon; Key projects: Launch of Prepaid Website and E-Sim app
Education

Harvard Kennedy School
Master of Public Administration, economics, finance, policy design, and environmental risk analysis
2024 - 2026
John F. Kennedy Fellow Activities and societies: Food & Ag Club Leadership Policy areas of focus: Food systems, water and nature, economic risk analysis, public-private partnerships

ESSEC Business School
Masters, International Supply Chain & Procurement Management
2021 - 2022
“Food Business Challenges” fellowship. Final thesis: Sustainable Sourcing in Agribusiness (Awarded Jury’s Distinction of Excellence)

Georgetown University School of Foreign Service
Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service, International relations & political science
2014 - 2018
Minor: Spanish Grade: Magna Cum Laude Activities and societies: Students of Georgetown Inc (“The Corp”), DC Schools Project
5 Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
Sarah has helped Leland clients get into Harvard University
Sarah has helped Leland clients get into Flutter Entertainment