Sarah Paterson

Sarah Paterson brings authenticity, inclusiveness and care to her work as a communications professional. Her ability to bring people and ideas together allows her to connect with a wide range of audiences and build strong relationships with clients. She is a creative problem solver who embraces new challenges and out-of-the-box thinking. As a Senior Associate Director, Sarah draws on her experience developing and executing crisis, culture, change management, brand and marketing strategies to provide comprehensive solutions to any opportunity.

Before joining Gagen MacDonald, Sarah spent 13 years in the utility industry leading internal communications and creative services functions. Throughout her career, she has supported a variety of business areas, including Ethics and Compliance, DE&I, Corporate Giving, Environmental & Social Governance, Benefits, Public Affairs, IT, Customer Experience, Customer Operations, Energy Supply, Labor Relations, Executive Communications, Regulatory Affairs, Safety and Finance. During her time at the utility, Sarah also created and managed an emotional support dog program for employees, served as the company's primary COVID Public Information Officer for 18 months and was the chair and executive advisor for the LGBTQ+ Business Employee Resource Group. She was recognized for her inclusive leadership and business results with the company's annual Women's Empowerment (2019) and Pride Alliance (2023) awards.

Sarah has a degree in Integrative Public Relations from Central Michigan University. She also completed the University of Michigan Ross Executive Education Positive Leadership program and eCornell Marketing Strategy certificate. In her free time, she also is a certified SCUBA instructor for new and advancing divers.