SARA VALENZUELA

Managing Director

A native of San Antonio, prior to joining the MAD Global Strategy team, Sara Valenzuela founded Valenzuela Strategies, LLC in January of 2023 while also serving as Chief Operating Officer of Cultural Productions, a strategic communications and political relations firm founded by Henry R. Muñoz, III. 

Sara is an experienced government affairs, strategic communications, and political consultant with a demonstrated history of work in private and public sectors with skills in external relations, nonprofit organizing, grassroots organizing, campaign coordination, event management, team management, and municipal, state, and national government relations. Her portfolio includes managing relationships with elected leaders, organizations, and community leaders on behalf of clients and works alongside them as a strategic advisor and manager for business development, external relations, political and philanthropic giving, and strategic giving for candidates in New York State and across the nation.

Prior to her work with Cultural Productions and founding her firm, Sara served as Vice President at Patrick Jenkins and Associate lobbying firm following her time as National Latino Outreach Director for Hillary Clinton’s Victory 2016 campaign, where she worked with national Latino elected officials, organizations, and advocates to engage Latinos nationwide in the 2016 election.

Sara began her career in New York politics serving five and half years in a variety of government outreach roles including External and Government Affairs Director for Public Advocate Letitia James, New York City Regional Director for State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, Community Liaison of Immigrant Affairs, Latino Outreach, and Education for New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, and Intergovernmental Affairs Liaison for Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer. In these roles, she managed external relations for elected officials and advocated for progressive legislation and initiatives in partnership with fellow government agencies, elected officials, and advocates in New York.

A graduate of Vanderbilt University and 2005 Teach For America alumna, Sara has dedicated her career to political and minority advocacy. Following her TFA commitment, Sara began her political career when she moved to Washington, D.C. in 2007 to serve as Legislative Correspondent to then Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Joe Baca and later joined the office of U.S. Senator Robert Menendez as Legislative Aide/Latino Issues Liaison. In addition, she served as Congressional Hispanic Caucus Liaison and advisor on Latino issues for members of the Senate Hispanic Task Force. She served as an Obama for America Deputy Field Organizer for Hispanic Outreach in Pueblo, Colorado in 2008. Following her time on Capitol Hill, she served as a lobbyist and Government Relations director at Earth Day Network before making the move to New York City.

Sara resides in the East Village of Manhattan and proudly serves as a board member for Women In Need (WIN), New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), and Drag Out The Vote.