Editing Sarah Boyack (section)

==Early life and career==
Boyack was born in May 1961 in [[Glasgow]] and brought up in [[Edinburgh]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/officers/cBI3t3Kk4SAU0VJOtf0VHxgZYKo/appointments|title=Sarah Herriot BOYACK – Personal Appointments (free information from Companies House)|website=beta.companieshouse.gov.uk|language=en|access-date=2020-03-14}}</ref><ref name="lothianlife-20080522" /> Her father, Jim Boyack, was an important figure in the Labour Party and the campaign for [[Scottish devolution]].<ref name="bbc-20141104" /> She was educated at the state comprehensive [[Royal High School, Edinburgh]], where she was one of the first female pupils.<ref name=lothianlife-20080522>{{cite news |url=http://www.lothianlife.co.uk/2008/05/sarah-boyacks-glass-is-not-just-half-full-%E2%80%93-its-positively-fizzing/ |title=Sarah Boyack's glass is not just half full – it's positively fizzing! |author=Christine Richard |newspaper=Lothian Life |date=22 May 2008 |accessdate=17 November 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171121150341/http://www.lothianlife.co.uk/2008/05/sarah-boyacks-glass-is-not-just-half-full-%E2%80%93-its-positively-fizzing/ |archive-date=21 November 2017 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

Starting in 1979, Boyack studied [[Modern History]] and [[Political science|Politics]] at the [[University of Glasgow]], graduating with a [[Scottish MA]] Honours degree.<ref name="sp-persinfo">{{cite web |url=http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/msps/currentmsps/27308.aspx |title=Sarah Boyack – Personal Information |publisher=Scottish Parliament |accessdate=6 November 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141106231349/http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/msps/currentmsps/27308.aspx |archive-date=6 November 2014 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> She became active in the Labour club, where she was a protégé of [[Margaret Curran]]. She was chair of the Labour club from 1981 until 1982, and chair of the [[National Organisation of Labour Students]] from 1985 until 1986. During her time at Glasgow, she was involved in supporting the twinning with [[Bir Zeit University]] in the [[West Bank]]. After graduating, she gained a [[Diploma]] in [[Town and Country Planning]] at [[Heriot-Watt University]].<ref name="sp-persinfo" />

Boyack worked as a [[town planner]] in the [[London Borough of Brent]] then as a strategic planner in [[Central Regional Council]] in Stirling.<ref name="hm-201203">{{cite news |url=http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1w5as/HolyroodmagazineIssu/resources/15.htm |title=A new brief puts the focus on spending prioities |author=Kate Shannon |newspaper=Holyrood Magazine Supplement |date=March 2012 |accessdate=17 November 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129062403/http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1w5as/HolyroodmagazineIssu/resources/15.htm |archive-date=29 November 2014 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> She then became a lecturer at the School of Planning and Housing at [[Heriot-Watt University]] and was Convener of the Scottish Branch of the [[Royal Town Planning Institute]] in 1997.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sarahboyack4leader.com/about-sarah/ |title=About Sarah &#124; Sarah Boyack |accessdate=2014-11-16 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129012148/http://www.sarahboyack4leader.com/about-sarah/ |archive-date=29 November 2014 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>