Sara Swenson

Sara is a seasoned expert in navigating challenging situations and leading major campaigns for prominent clients. Her personalized guidance steers clients through emerging issues with an emphasis on transparent and timely communication. From proactive PR strategies to thoughtful messaging to impactful community engagement campaigns, she helps clients manage a wide array of complex issues that require skillful communications management, exemplary judgment and proactive public engagement.

One of the firm’s principals, Sara established and now leads our firm’s fast-growing community engagement practice area. Goff Public’s community engagement team spearheads communications and community projects for various state agencies, local governments and private organizations. The common thread through all of Sara’s work is a focus on helping clients authentically share their stories and engage meaningfully with those who are impacted by their work.

Her experience includes extensive work with state, tribal and local governments, philanthropy, housing, and higher education institutions. Sara has led public relations and community engagement strategies during the planning and construction of some of the region’s most well-known local institutions and high-profile projects, including CHS Field, Rice Creek Commons, RiversEdge and Catholic Charities’ Dorothy Day Place.

Sara is invested in the community and passionate about supporting nonprofits doing important, empowering work in the Twin Cities. She currently serves on the Neighborhood House and Minnesota Children’s Museum boards of directors as well as Minnesota Public Radio/American Public Media’s Twin Cities Community Advisory Council.

She’s an avid runner who also loves hiking, exploring the North Shore, sipping local brews on any patio she can find, and spending quality time with her husband and young daughters.

Joined Goff Public: 2009
Alma Mater: St. Olaf College