Sarah Aquino is a true public servant who is widely respected for her responsiveness to residents and dedication to the community.
First elected to the city council in 2018 and re-elected in 2022, Sarah was chosen by her colleagues to serve as Mayor in 2020 and 2025.
As Mayor, Sarah held weekly office hours at City Hall so residents could drop in to ask questions and share concerns. She created the “Monday’s Minute with the Mayor” series on social media to keep the public informed about city issues and events.
A fixture in the community, Sarah is always willing to roll up her sleeves and help where needed. When residents in the Historic District complained about destructive behavior on the top floor of the parking garage, she recruited volunteers to join her each night to serve as an adult presence. Sarah served as the crossing guard for Alder Creek Elementary School for the 2024-25 school year, and is regularly seen around town picking up trash on the side of the road.
Sarah took a job at a local restaurant during the pandemic to help with a labor shortage. Five years later, she still serves as a hostess and busser most Friday and Saturday nights.
Sarah’s devotion to her community is obvious, but she’s also a well-respected leader throughout the Sacramento region. She currently serves as Chairwoman of the Board for the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District and Sacramento Placerville Transportation Corridor JPA. She was named the 2026 Woman of the Year for California’s 6th Senate District.
And because Sarah strongly believes in leading by example, she voted against the tripling of council members’ salaries and pledged to decline the salary increase if re-elected.
Prior to her election to the council, Sarah served four years as a member of the Folsom Cordova School Board. She is a past Chair of the Board of Directors of the Folsom Chamber of Commerce, former Library Commissioner for the City of Folsom, three-time PTA President at Russell Ranch Elementary, and former board member of the Folsom Cordova Education Foundation.
Sarah grew up in Fair Oaks, attended public schools in the San Juan district, and graduated from California State University, Sacramento. She is a licensed life and health insurance agent who works with individuals, seniors, and small businesses.
Sarah’s husband, John, is a retired middle school PE and adapted PE teacher. They’ve been married 27 years, have two grown children, and recently hosted an exchange student from Folsom’s sister city, Pieve del Grappa, Italy.