Representative Sahara Hayes

Sahara Hayes Rohner is an American politician serving as a member of the Utah House of Representatives for the 32nd district. She was elected in November 2022 and assumed office on January 1, 2023.

Hayes was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. She is a lifelong Utah resident and has lived in District 32 for over 20 years. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Westminster College and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Utah.

Outside of politics, Hayes works as a grant writer. She served as a member of the Millcreek Community Council and on the board of the Utah Cultural Celebration Center Foundation. Through her work on the Council, she has gotten to know residents, and the concerns and challenges they face.

She currently serves the public as a grant specialist for West Valley City’s Division of Arts and Culture, where she advocates for free and accessible arts programming for residents. This, combined with prior work in the non-profit sector, has led to a deep appreciation of the needs of different communities and the opportunities for government to fulfill them.

Hayes currently serves on the board of directors for the Utah Cultural Celebration Center Foundation, and is the Events Subcommittee Chair for the Millcreek Community Council. She is an avid reader, hiker, and knitter, and in non-pandemic times might be found performing at local festivals on a trapeze. She lives in Millcreek with her partner, Lily, and a small pack of beloved pets.