Sara Moss is a Fortune 500 business executive, trailblazing female litigator and change agent who is passionate about developing women’s leadership skills.

As Vice Chair of The Estée Lauder Companies, Sara provided guidance to the Company’s Executive Management, Board of Directors, and the Lauder Family on issues critical to the business’ success. Before becoming Vice Chair, Sara was Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Estee Lauder, where she was responsible for the Company’s global Legal function.

Sara has been a steadfast voice for women’s advancement throughout her career. In 2019, she partnered closely with Estée Lauder senior leaders to drive the Company’s first Women’s Advancement and Gender Equality Strategy.  The following year, she deepened her commitment to championing professional women by creating the Open Doors Women’s Leadership Program, “Open Doors,” which has continued to be a proven success. Open Doors delivers life-changing lessons in effective leadership. Combining experiential learning and coaching, this intensive program helps participants develop and hone essential leadership skills to carry with them for life.

The framework for this innovative women’s development program took shape in 2017, when Sara collaborated with NYU Law School leaders to create the Sara Moss Women’s Leadership Program. Every year since, this intensive 5-day course has supported selected first-year law students to develop critical skills, creating community, and building confidence and courage.

Sara is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts (Phi Beta Kappa) and New York University Law School. She was a law clerk for the Honorable Constance Baker Motley, U.S. District Court Judge in the Southern District of New York. She was a litigator at Davis Polk Wardwell and then served as one of the first small group of female prosecutors as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York. She later became a senior litigation partner at Howard Darby & Levin (now Covington & Burling) and then Senior Vice President at Pitney Bowes Inc.

Sara serves on the Board of Trustees of New York University Law School and on the Advisory Board of the International Rescue Committee and The Legal Aid Society. Sara has been recognized with many awards and honors, including the New York Law Journal Lifetime Achievement Award, the NYU Outstanding Alumni Award and the NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund “Aiming High” Award. She has four adult children and lives in New York with her husband Michael Gould.