Meet the AHA Staff: Sadie Rothman

Sadie Rothman, Executive Assistant and Grassroots Organizer

HNN: What school do you attend, and what was your major? How did you decide your major?

Sadie: I got my degree in Dance from the University of Maryland. I’ve been dancing my entire life, and continuing my dance education into college was always the plan. Maryland has an incredible program, a supportive department and stunningly beautiful facilities. I think it’s also worth noting that while at UMD, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to take several classes outside of my field, including courses in Philosophy, Sociology, LGBT Literature, and Women’s Studies. I also devoted a lot of my time there to Help Center, the on-campus peer counseling and crisis intervention hotline.

HNN: How did you first learn about humanism?

Sadie: My family joined the Washington Ethical Society when I was about 3, so I grew up surrounded by humanism and humanists.

HNN: What was it like growing up in Ethical Culture?

Sadie: It was pretty great! Thanks to the Sunday School there, my Montessori education, and my training at the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, I learned the deep, innate and inarguable worth of human kindness and respect as well as the value and impact of thoughtful human interaction and support.

HNN: What interested you most about working for the AHA?

Sadie: The opportunity to offer my help and support to the groups and organizations that the AHA helps and supports, who, in turn, help and support their members and communities.

HNN: Have you read any good books lately? What’s your favorite book?

Sadie: Oh man, I could go on and on. But I’ll try not to. So most recently, I just finished A Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It took a lot of time and concentration, but it was worth it. Beautiful writing. It’s easier to say my favorite author than my favorite book, and as cliche as it may be for the new girl at the humanist organization to say this, my favorite author is Kurt Vonnegut, hands down. The book I’ve most recently read by Vonnegut is Sirens of Titan, and it did not disappoint. The chapter about Mercury brought me to tears. Next on my reading list is Tina Fey’s Bossypants.

HNN: If you could have dinner with any three people (living or dead), who would they be?

Sadie: This is the most difficult question! I could spend so much time thinking about it, but off the top of my head I would have to say Kurt Vonnegut, Tina Fey and Pina Bausch. All three because they’re sassy, clever geniuses who create amazing works of art (yes, I absolutely consider 30 Rock to be brilliant art).