hi, I’m Sarah Stermer
Communications, Marketing, and Design | Climate & Social Impact
It’s nice to meet you! Welcome to my portfolio. I’m a communications and marketing professional with an eye for design. My experience working in the non-profit and environmental space has taken my work across communications, print and digital design, social media, email, web, marketing, coalition building, and visual storytelling. With my educational background in Environmental Studies and Graphic & Digital Design, I believe that creativity can change the world. My goal is to use my ability to translate complex topics into engaging work that inspires environmental and social action. Alongside my non-profit communications work, I have provided independent creative services to sustainability-focused brands through Branch & Bay Design Studio. Thanks for checking out my work!
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11-Page Educational Workbook | Author & Designer
The Green Brand Starter Kit was developed as a practical guide for environmental organizations to strengthen their brand strategy and identity so they can connect with their ideal supporters. Wrote, researched, structured, and designed the full resource as an educational content marketing piece. -
50 × 2030: Executive Leadership for Sustainable Schools- Green Schools National Network
Wrote and published this public-facing content explaining GSNN’s national climate-resilience initiative, including its goals, audience, and intended impact.
GSNN Joins Changemakers at the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting- Green Schools National Network
Wrote and published this news announcement sharing GSNN’s participation in the Clinton Global Initiative and connecting the event to the organization’s larger sustainability goals.
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Published articles exploring marketing, web design, and branding for sustainable organizations, written for mission-driven professionals seeking ways to turn their audience into donors.
1. Read “Spring Clean Your Website”
2. Read “How Good Design Helps the Earth: A Guide for Green Brands”
3. Read “What is Greenwashing? And How to Avoid It!” -
I had the opportunity to be published in Green Schools National Network’s Catalyst Quarterly journal to share my city-wide tree planting project. This was my first publication and was written at 18 years old.
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Writing and Communications Projects
Marketing & Design
3,000 Trees planted
In September 2017 during my senior year of high school, I became disheartened by deforestation I was witnessing in my hometown of Virginia Beach and abroad. I went to the mayor with a proposal to plant 1,000 trees in our city at low income schools with the lowest urban tree canopy percentage. I would have this done by Earth Day 2018. He approved, and it was off to the races.
I worked with a local farm and non-profit to plant 1,000 trees at their sister farm in Haiti. This was powered by my own fundraising campaign. In Virginia Beach, I worked throughout 2017 and into spring of 2018 to obtain funding and donations for local native trees. I applied for and won grants, received donations, and pulled together stakeholders to create a committee from organizations like: The Department of Forestry, Vaughan-Bassett Furniture Company, the City of Virginia Beach Department of Parks & Recreation, Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, Virginia Beach City Public Schools, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and more.
During this time, I went all around my city to speak at K-12 schools. My goal was to inspire students to make an environmental or social impact, no matter how small. I used my artistic skills to give interactive white board presentations. These kids became our sapling planters on the big day!
Earth Day rolled around. And in the end, we planted 2,000+ trees in Virginia Beach alone, and 1,000 in Haiti!
I later planted additional saplings at my college, Batten University, where they still stand today.
I am proud of all I accomplished. This project was the flame that grew from my love of nature, and it laid the foundation for my non-profit marketing, communications, and fundraising skills.
Planting trees with Landstown Elementary Students
Students in Haiti planting my donated trees
Planting trees with elementary students
Students planting my donated trees on Arbor Day
Students pose with their sapling
Elementary students visited my Kellam High School to help with our tree planting
Mentor Chris Freeman teaching me how to core a tree
Planting sapling with my two friends at Batten University
Giving a presentation at Betty F Williams Elementary School
Batten University students at our tree planting
Teaching Landstown Elementary students about the power of trees
Giving my interactive lesson
Student and volunteer planting sapling in Port-Au-Prince
Received a congratulations letter from Representative Scott Taylor
My personal essay detailing my project was featured in local Stomping Grounds magazine
Giving a tree presentation at Batten University with President Scott Miller and Dr. Elizabeth Malcolm
My initial meeting with Mayor Will Sessoms, I brought him this Pawpaw tree
Kellam High school students who came out for our tree planting
Planting trees with mentor Chris Freeman, his kids, and fellow students
Posing with elementary students during our planting
Students in Port-Au-Prince on their way to plant trees
Meeting with committee at Landstown Elementary
Discussing tree planting logistics
Received a tree planting donation from the Little Neck Garden Club
Posing with the entire Little Neck Garden Club who contributed to my tree planting
Receiving saplings from Department of Forestry Molly O'Liddy
Molly O'Liddy and Me
Sitting with the first sapling planted on Earth Day
Landstown Elementary school tree planting
Landstown Elementary school tree planting
Meeting with Batten University students about tree planting before I started there
Teacher and student planting sapling
Meeting with a middle school student who picked up saplings to plant at her school
Kids planting trees
More student tree plantings
Brainstorming and working on coordinating plantings with aid of my friend
Receiving the Charles Barker Scholarship for my tree planting work.
Receiving the Graduate Achievement Award from Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group
Giving a presentation at a school, my hero alter ego and nickname from the kids, "Sarah Sapling"
Planting trees with my advisor Dr. Maynard Schaus
Batten University students planting Cypress trees