Meet our new team member, Sarah Zhitnik! Sarah joined the team in October as an Account Coordinator. In her new role, she will be supporting Teak clients and team members with her work.
Sarah grew up in the Greater Boston area and attended the University of Florida. She graduated from UF with a bachelor’s degree in public relations and a minor in business administration. With public relations experience in hospitality, environmental conservation, and real estate, she is well-equipped to drive meaningful, purpose-driven results for Teak’s nonprofit and socially responsible clients.
Keep reading to learn more about Sarah.
What excites you about Teak?
I love that Teak is a purpose-driven agency that has clients with socially conscious missions. Teak is exciting because our clients work to impact some of the most important issues in our community like food and clothing insecurity, climate change, and educational disparities. There’s something special about a small group of people working toward shared, community-oriented goals. Through elevating the profile of our clients, more support is raised for the missions of these organizations, and that in turn helps people.
Why do you like public relations?
I have always liked working with people. I switched my major to public relations my sophomore year of college. When I left my introduction class, I knew public relations was for me. The more school projects I did and guest speakers I heard, the more I was amazed by how public relations can be a force for good. When done well, public relations connects people through storytelling, which makes it a powerful tool for promoting and supporting nonprofits.
My favorite project from school was a group case study on ride-sharing company Lyft, which paved the way for companies to stand up for social issues, specifically women’s rights. I’m inspired by major companies that protect their stakeholders and employees while leading other companies to similarly stand up for women’s and all employees’ rights.
What causes are you passionate about?
People have basic human rights that are too often ignored. All people should be treated equally and have access to quality housing, food and education. It’s unfair and unjust that people face discrimination that prevents them from living safe and comfortable lives.
I am also passionate about environmental conservation and the climate crisis. From deforestation to using fertilizers in agriculture, humans are exploiting the Earth and its natural resources. In college, I worked on a campaign dedicated to protecting the Florida springs. Florida has the largest concentration of natural springs in the world. The campaign educated UF students about Blue Triton, formally known as Nestle, over-pumping spring water from the Florida aquifer. We only have one Earth, so it’s important to treat it well.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I like to cook because it’s creative and fun. As a vegetarian, I create colorful and nutritious meals and snacks. The more colorful, the better! When I was younger, I used to bake a lot and even wanted to open my own bakery full of cupcakes, cakes and cookies. While that is no longer a goal of mine, I still bake on occasion. I also like to spend time with family and friends by trying new restaurants, hiking and other outdoor activities. To relax, I like to either read or watch reality TV.
What’s a fun fact about you?
When I graduated from high school, my friends and I went to Europe for two weeks! We traveled through the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany. It was my first time in Europe. There was so much to see and learn, and we had a great time exploring and eating the delicious European foods.
