Our People
Sarah is highly regarded for her expertise in managing public outreach and communication programs. With more than 15 years of experience, Sarah advises clients on public policy education, media relations, and stakeholder identification and engagement.
As trusted advisor to local governments, trade associations and business groups, Sarah is known as an expert in developing comprehensive policy and media campaigns. She has the ability relate to stakeholders and establish trusted relationships that provide opportunities for collaborative communication with hard-to-reach constituents.
In 2009, Sarah identified a need for integrated communications consulting in a tight economic climate. In response, she opened Kennedy Modeste Communications, a full-service public outreach and communications firm catering to public, private, and nonprofit organizations. In 2018, Kennedy Modeste Communications became KMP Strategies LLC and welcomed Noah Painter as a partner.
Sarah earned her B.A. in Communication and Sociology from The University of Tulsa. As an undergraduate, Sarah participated in the highly selective Tulsa Undergraduate Research Challenge where she honed her qualitive research and reporting skills. She attended The University of Tulsa on a Division I athletic scholarship. Sarah currently serves on the Events Committee for the Sacramento Tree Foundation’s Hanami Line. She previously served as the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Food Literacy Center, a Sacramento-based nonprofit.
Noah is recognized as a leading coalition builder in the Sacramento region, with expertise in land use, climate change, and public policy. Noah focuses on local government agencies, affordable housing developers and trade association clients. He has worked on numerous high-profile public interest campaigns, providing educational and strategic advisory services.
Noah has more than a decade of professional experience advising public officials, private organizations, and public institutions on high-visibility business matters and policy issues. He focuses on developing solutions to address complex problems for infill development projects, and public policy matters, by designing strategies to educate and influence policymakers, recruit allies, and mobilize supporters. Noah specializes in helping clients assess the economic, political, and public perception affecting their operations and designs programs that enhance their reputation and mitigate risk.
Previously, Noah served as chief of staff to a member of the Sacramento City Council, where he was responsible for organizing and overseeing internal operations and personnel, developing and maintaining internal office budget, legislative and communications strategy, and providing policy briefings and vote recommendations on all legislative matters.
Noah earned his B.S. in Community and Regional Development, Economic Development from the University of California, Davis. Noah is a current member of the Valley Vision Policy Committee and a former Commissioner of the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency.
Lisa provides KMP with expert operations management, human resource management, bookkeeping, and organizational support.
Before joining the KMP, Lisa spent seven years working in public finance management at Larsen Wurzel & Associates, Inc. (LWA) managing office operations, human resources, marketing, and financials. Before LWA, Lisa worked in association management and foundation/higher education fundraising. As Membership Manager for the Sacramento District Dental Society, her primary responsibility was membership recruitment and retention. Lisa was also part of University of the Pacific's Advancement & Development team during its record-setting $200 million capital campaign.
Lisa also brings KMP marketing, database management, direct mail coordination, budget management, meeting coordination, IT support, and fundraising skills. She earned her B.A. in Liberal Studies and Communication from University of the Pacific in Stockton, California. Lisa earned a certification of Professional in Human Resources (PHR) designation from HRCI. Lisa is a member of Sacramento Area Human Resource Association (SAHRA) and Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM).
Jill is a strategic communications professional with over 20 years of experience. She has a proven track record in the areas of public relations, media relations, program management, writing and editing, strategic planning and external relations. Jill’s experience includes serving in management roles for statewide public and non-profit organizations, as the primary public relations officer for city government and higher education institutions, and managing and overseeing comprehensive regional public relations and community outreach campaigns for a variety of public agency and private sector clients throughout California.
For nearly a decade, Jill led the industry and stakeholder relations efforts for statewide and national agricultural marketing organizations, relying on her own experience growing up on a Nevada cattle ranch to navigate the unique challenges that exist for today’s farmers and ranchers.
Her career also includes years of experience working with local governments in the Sacramento region and beyond, specifically in the areas of water, wastewater, sanitation, transportation, urban planning, and development.
Jill earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communications from University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, and is a graduate of the prestigious California Agricultural Leadership Program. A mom of two boys, she is active in her community and spends a lot of time volunteering for Little League and other community groups and efforts.