(ABOVE LEFT) At 23, Sarah Michaels began fostering children while working as an RN at Riley Hospital for Children. (ABOVE RIGHT) When it was not possible to find them a new home, adopted two of her foster kids. (Photos provided)
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For Noblesville resident Sarah Michaels, making a difference started with a simple but life-changing decision: opening her home to children who had nowhere else to go.
At just 23 years old, Michaels, an Orr Fellowship alum (Class of 2015), began fostering children while working as a nurse at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. There, she saw firsthand that some kids remained in hospital beds not because they needed medical care, but because they lacked a safe place to land.
Nearly a decade later, Michaels has cared for more than 50 foster children, often welcoming four to six at a time, primarily teenagers facing complex mental health and behavioral challenges.
“I realized there was a gap I could help fill,” said Michaels. “Some of these kids just needed a safe place to land, even if it was at a moment’s notice.”
What began as short-term placements quickly became a long-term calling.
“I thought it would be a few days or a few weeks,” she said. “Then it becomes years, and you realize this is your life.”
Over the years, Michaels has fostered children ranging from newborns to teenagers, including bringing home a three-day-old infant with only hours’ notice. She has also adopted two children when reunification was not possible.
Photo provided
A graduate of Anderson University, Michaels built her career in central Indiana after being selected for Orr Fellowship, an early-career development program for versatile high-achievers and future-focused businesses in Indianapolis and Evansville. Despite having no formal business background, the experience helped launch her into healthcare consulting, where she now serves as Chief Clinical Officer at Kinetiq Health.
“I never took a business class,” Michaels said. “Orr Fellowship gave me the foundation and confidence to step into leadership in a way I never imagined.”
Today, she helps employers rethink healthcare delivery and reduce costs and recently had the opportunity to speak at the New York Stock Exchange as part of an investor event.
“It’s surreal,” she said. “To go from a clinical background to standing at the Stock Exchange, it’s something I never would have imagined.”
Michaels says her experience as a foster parent has directly shaped her leadership style.
“When you experience foster care, you understand what a real crisis looks like,” she said. “It gives you perspective and teaches you how to stay calm under pressure.”
As National Foster Care Day approaches on May 5, Michaels hopes her story encourages others to consider fostering, especially for older youth who are often overlooked.
“Teenagers are the hardest to place, but they’re incredibly resilient,” she said. “With the right support, you can completely change the trajectory of their lives.”
Originally from La Grange, Ill., Michaels now calls Noblesville home, where she continues to foster while leading a growing healthcare organization, proving that meaningful impact can start right at home.
