Biography  

Sara J. Topping is a graduate of East Hampton High School and attended The George Washington University. She is married to a Southampton native and is the proud parent of three 12th-generation Toppings.

Sara J. Topping | Southampton, NY

Do you have a family? If so, please tell us about them.
I was born and raised on the East End, growing up in East Hampton and moving to Southampton after I met and married my husband Pete Topping, who is a local from Southampton. We have three sons who are 12th generation Toppings, twins who are almost 11 and an 8 year old, who we are raising in Pete’s grandparents old house in North Sea.

Meet The Candidate: Sara Topping For Southampton Town Trustee

Sara J Topping was born and raised on the East End and grew up in East Hampton. She graduated from East Hampton High School and attended The George Washington University. She lives in North Sea with her husband, Pete Topping.

Staff Directory • Southampton, NY • CivicEngage

What is your occupation?
I own a small olive oil business with my sister and have been a massage therapist for 18 years. I have been in hospitality and health and wellness for close to 20 years. I am also a mom.

An East Hampton native, Topping is making her first run for public office. 

A longtime East Hampton Town ocean lifeguard and East Hampton Ocean Rescue Squad volunteer she now runs the junior lifeguard program at Coopers Beach in Southampton Village and is the founder of a maternal and infant health nonprofit.

Ten Candidates Seek Seats as Southampton Town Trustees

Sara J. Topping owns a small olive oil business with her sister and works as a massage therapist. She previously worked as an East Hampton Town ocean lifeguard and founded a maternal and infant health nonprofit.

Ten Candidates Seek Seats as Southampton Town Trustees - 27east

Sincerely,
 _____________________________ _____________________________
 Jimmy Mack, President Matthew Parsons, Secretary-Treasurer
 __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________
 Joseph R. McLoughlin, Trustee Hannah Pell-O’Farrell, Trustee Sara J. Topping, Trustee

04-23-2026 Trustees Press Release - Statement from the Southampton Town Trustees Regarding Vibrio vulnificus (PDF)

Sara serves as a Town of Southampton trustee.

2026 New York General Election

As of October 22, 2026, Sara J Topping’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Economy

Supports education and community outreach as part of efforts to address water-quality issues.

What needs to be done to address water quality issues on LI?
The water quality issue is multifaceted and it will take a multifaceted approach. Things that come to mind include; creating a systemic stormwater runoff infrastructure, supporting septic system upgrades and working on education and community outreach.

Proposes school outreach about the Town Trustees' role and the role's local environmental impact.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?
The trustees have recently been given their own tax line and I feel like this is an incredibly unique opportunity to create a campaign that would support education and outreach to the local schools to discuss what it is the Trustees do and how it impacts our town. Education begets ownership which in turn supports stewardship of our local environment.

Public Services

Housing & Urban Development

Public Safety

Supports creating stormwater-runoff infrastructure to address water-quality issues.

Prioritizes coordination among local and regulatory stakeholders regarding coastal infrastructure decisions.

What do you think can be done to help improve our infrastructure, highways, etc.?

Infrastructure with regard to the trustee position is collaborative. The most important part is creating and maintaining the proper relationships with other stakeholders in decision making when it comes to coastal issues, like the town board, the DEC, the village and other regulatory agencies.

Transportation & Infrastructure

Calls for local efforts to protect community water health.

How are federal issues impacting local government?

The EPA is currently being gutted by the administration and it is more important than ever to work hard at the local level to protect the health of our water for our community, our economy and our future generations.

Supports septic system upgrades to address water-quality issues.

Plans to address waterway access and health in primarily Black and brown East End neighborhoods.

When in office, what will you do to reduce harm and ensure there is social and economic equity for Black Long Islanders? If you are an incumbent, what policies/initiatives/laws have you supported that do this?
In office as a Southampton Town Trustee I look forward to stepping into more marginalized communities on the East End to make sure that the access to and health of the water ways in primarily black and brown neighborhoods are being attended to. I believe we are only as healthy as the environment around us and that the unique role of the Town Trustee can help bolster the health and well being of all neighborhoods.

Sara J Topping — Black Voters of Long Island

Energy & the Environment

Instagram

Sara J Topping

- Plans to address waterway access and health in primarily Black and brown East End neighborhoods.

I was born and raised on the East End, growing up in East Hampton and moving to Southampton after I met and married my husband Pete Topping, who is a local from Southampton.

Education
East Hampton High School (2000), the George Washington University (2004) major in psychology and minor in neuropsychology and women’s studies, Finger Lakes School of Massage 2007

Sara has been a lifeguard since the age of 16 and has dedicated decades to competitive lifeguarding, volunteer service, and advancing water safety initiatives throughout the East End. She previously served with East Hampton Volunteer Ocean Rescue and currently helps lead the Junior Lifeguard Grom Program with Southampton Village Ocean Rescue.

Sara J Topping was born and raised on the East End and grew up in East Hampton. She attended George Washington University, where she majored in psychology and minored in neuropsychology and women’s studies. She is married to Pete Topping and helps lead the Junior Lifeguard Grom Program with Southampton Village Ocean Rescue.

Sara J Topping owns a small olive oil business with her sister and works as a massage therapist.

Home Directory Town Trustees Sara J. Topping
Sara J. Topping
Town Trustees
Town Trustees

Sara currently serves as a Southampton Town Trustee.

Plans a campaign to support education in local schools and outreach about the Town Trustees' role and local environmental stewardship.

Prioritizes collaboration with the town board, Department of Environmental Conservation, villages, and regulators on coastal infrastructure decisions.

Proposes a multifaceted water-quality strategy including stormwater-runoff infrastructure, septic-system upgrades, and education and community outreach.

Calls for local action to protect water quality for the community, economy, and future generations.

Plans to address waterway access and the health of waterways in primarily Black and Brown neighborhoods on the East End.