What inspired Sarah to ditch the desk job for pups and people

Sarah Chlonta grew up in a big family... when accounting for all her pets. Living on Quandamooka Country in Redlands, Queensland, with her mum, dad, two brothers, 10 guinea pigs, 3 birds, one dog and one cat, it’s clear that animals have always been an integral part of Sarah’s life. 

Inspired by her lived experience with her father, who is vision impaired and struggled with his mental health after losing his job when she was a teenager, Sarah joined Happy Paws Happy Hearts Wacol in late 2022.  

“The thing that saved him was getting involved in the community and making friends. Now he has a better social life than me and spends time giving back in the Redlands. This inspired me to join HPHH as our group programs bring people back to life and out of their social isolation,” Sarah says. 

As a Program Trainer and Case Manager, Sarah is the definition of a busy bee at Happy Paws Happy Hearts. As if her plate wasn’t full enough, she is also studying to become an Occupational Therapist (OT). 

Working with our participants in our employment pathway program Explore, Sarah says her most memorable moment at HPHH was the Semester 1 2023 cohort’s interviews at DNR Capital in Brisbane City.  

“They all sat so quietly around the big boardroom table before they went in for their interviews but came out chatting away and networking with the professionals there – they absolutely smashed their interviews, and many of the interviewers were surprised they hadn’t done one before,” she says. 

“When I asked the participants to think back to the start of Explore and if they thought they would have just finished their first interview – they were very quick to tell me they never would have believed they could have done it. 

“I love supporting our participants to build their confidence and workplace skills and send them off on their vocational journey whether study, volunteering or work.” 

Sarah’s passion and dedication to helping others extends past working with participants. She also loves working with the beautiful animals at the RSPCA Wacol and being a part of their journey to finding their forever homes.  

“I am constantly amazed by the resilience, passion and kindness of our participants at HPHH. I am inspired by them every day!” Sarah says. 

In her downtime, Sarah loves to hike and camp in nature, and she loves to dance and sing – which everyone at HPHH knows, especially if you are a part of a Friday afternoon session. 

Her favourite animals are bears: “I got to see how beautiful they are when I lived in Canada. It was amazing to see the mothers protecting their young!” 

The Happy Paws Happy Hearts Team would say Sarah is like a bear, always looking out for the participants and her team.  

Want to meet Sarah and join one of her sessions? Call us for more information on 1300 077 984 or email us at hello@hphhfoundation.org.