Sarah Pickup is the Deputy Chief Executive of the Local Government Association (LGA). Sarah previously worked for Hertfordshire County Council as Deputy Chief Executive with responsibility for Corporate Services as well as being the county’s Chief Finance Officer. Until her appointment to this role in May 2013, Sarah was Director of Health & Community Services in Hertfordshire for 10 years

Sarah is on the board of Hightown Housing Association, a Trustee of the Nuffield Trust, Chair designate of HUC, a community interest company which provides services to the NHS and a Trustee of a local arts centre. She was president of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) in 2012/13.

Sarah graduated from Sussex University with a degree in Economics and is a member of CIPFA.

In 2023 she was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for her services to social care.