Sarah Kaczmarek

Legal Assistant, White Collar Crime Division

1000 followers

United States

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Timeline
About me
Managing Director of Public Affairs | Strategic Communication Leader | Mentor
Education
- Partnership for Public Service
  2022 - 2023
  Excellence in Government Fellows
  The Excellence in Government Fellows program is the premier leadership development course for federal employees. This fellowship helps federal employees develop strong leadership skills through application-based learning, highly interactive activities, authentic self-reflection, personalized coaching, and governmentwide networking.
- Harvard University
  2022 - 2022
  Senior Executive Fellow
  Awarded a certificate of completion for the Senior Executive Fellows Program from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, Executive Education. Program focused on key themes critical to effective leadership in the U.S. federal government, international governments, as well as their counterparts in the military, private, and nonprofit sectors.
- Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management
  2020 - 2020
  Executive Leadership Certificate Organizational Leadership
  Coursework: Strategic Decision Making; Leading Collaborative Teams; Quality and Service Excellence; Coaching Skills for Leaders; Leading Organizational Change; Leading With Credibility; Leading for Creativity and Innovation; and Motivating People for High Performance.
- Georgetown University Walsh School of Foreign Service
  2008 - 2010
  Master's degree German and European Studies 3.9
  Activities and Societies: International Affairs and Justice concentration
- Wellesley College
  2003 - 2007
  Bachelor's degree Political Science and Government 3.6
  Activities and Societies: Majors: Political Science and German Language and Literature
Experience
- White & Case
  Aug 2007 - May 2009
  Legal Assistant, White Collar Crime Division
  • Inspected compliance levels and managed case files in international corruption, accounting, and white-collar criminal investigations for over 20 clients, including multi-national corporations and government officials. • Preparing matters for trials, congressional hearings, arbitrations, and submissions to the federal government.
- US Government Accountability Office
  Jun 2010 - Jul 2015
  • Managed all digital communication projects for 3,000-person federal agency. • Subject Matter Expert on Google Analytics for government. Provided information and training to several federal agencies, state and local governments, other countries, the World Bank, and the United Nations.• Managed all content and public interactions on agency social media sites, including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Flickr, YouTube, and a blog. Hosted and oversaw the production of audio podcast, videos, and live streaming video chats with public.• Led web improvement projects based on human-centered design, user feedback, and data.• Managed seven staff members, lead teams of designers and developers, and coordinated efforts with agency stakeholders and leadership. Managed spending and planning of video and photography services budget. • Completed one-year detail to the Office of Public Affairs before becoming Digital Communications Manager. Show less
  - Digital Communications Manager
    May 2012 - Jul 2015
  - Analyst, Professional Development Program
    Jun 2010 - May 2012
- Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies
  Dec 2013 - May 2019
  Subject Matter Expert (SME), Curriculum Writer, and Faculty Lecturer
  Subject matter expert, curriculum writer, and faculty lecturer for the Digital Marketing Certificate and the Social Media Certificate at Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies. 2016 Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year for the Center for Continuing and Professional Education.Taught: • Measuring & Calculating Return on Investment for Social Media Campaigns • Developing Strategies to Meet Policy & Budget Requirements • Advanced Marketing Analytics and Reporting • Advanced Digital Marketing Strategies• Digital Marketing Capstone Show less
- US Government Accountability Office
  Jul 2017 - now
  • GAO’s spokesperson and top communications advisor to the U.S. Comptroller General. • Direct GAO’s strategic communication initiatives to maximize the impact of GAO’s message and manage the agency’s reputation as a source of unbiased, non-partisan facts. • Lead about 30 staff responsible for the agency's social media, video and audio production, media relations, website, plain language, and strategic external communications programs and products. • Counsel supreme audit institutions in other nations on strategies to enhance their own communications efforts following GAO and industry-wide best practices.• Member of GAO's AI Advisory Council. Show less • Lead strategic communications to maximize the impact of GAO’s message, manage and publicize the agency’s reputation as a source of unbiased, non-partisan facts.• Ensure GAO’s public website and digital services provide a high-quality, digital-first experience that meets the needs of Congress, the media, government officials, and the public. Direct oversight of GAO’s external website, daily Today’s Reports & Testimonies email, multimedia, and social media posts on a variety of platforms, and other written and visual communications.• Serve as a Senior Official for Plain Language, leading agency efforts to communicate GAO messages using clear, plain language and engaging design to prioritize the user experience across all platforms. Develop and execute the agency’s Digital Strategy implementation plan to focused on writing in plain language.• Act as agency spokesperson and top communications adviser to the U.S. Comptroller General when the Managing Director is absent. Act as primary point of contact for major national print and broadcast journalists and oversee media interactions with teams across the agency.• Active Secret Clearance. Show less
  - Managing Director of Public Affairs
    Sept 2024 - now
  - Acting Managing Director of Public Affairs
    Jun 2024 - Sept 2024
  - Director of Public Affairs
    Mar 2019 - Sept 2024
  - Public Affairs Manager
    Jul 2017 - Mar 2019
- International Journal of Government Auditing
  Oct 2024 - now
  Member Board of Directors
  International Journal of Government Auditing is the official publication of INTOSAI. The Journal provides an opportunity for members of Supreme Audit Institutions to share ideas, collaborate, and advance government auditing processes—and is published in 5 languages!
Licenses & Certifications
- Leading Through the Changing Media Landscape
  Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education
  Feb 2023
  View certificate
- Certificate of Completion Senior Executive Fellows
  Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education
  Feb 2022
  View certificate
Honors & Awards
- Awarded to Sarah Kaczmarek
  GAO Honor Award, Client Service Award U.S. Government Accountability Office Nov 2023 For outstanding client service welcoming the 118th Congress by redesigning the “For Congress” section of GAO.gov, creating a robust resource and welcome video to orient both old and new Members of Congress to GAO’s services.
- Awarded to Sarah Kaczmarek
  GAO Honor Award, John Henry Luke Mentoring Award U.S. Government Accountability Office Nov 2023 For embodying commitment to GAO’s mission and inclusive culture through sustained leadership mentoring employees and fostering their professional development both within OPA and across the agency.
- Awarded to Sarah Kaczmarek
  GAO Honor Award, Results Through Teamwork Award U.S. Government Accountability Office Nov 2023 For creating a user-friendly, internal-facing website for the GAO Honor Awards, an innovation which better aligns with the transition from an in-person Honor Awards ceremony to a virtual/hybrid experience.
- Awarded to Sarah Kaczmarek
  GAO Honor Award, Big Picture Award U.S. Government Accountability Office Dec 2022 For exceptional support to the Congress in overseeing Congressionally Directed Spending/Community Project Funding and exemplary teamwork, collaboration, dedication, and commitment across the agency.
- Awarded to Sarah Kaczmarek
  GAO Honor Award, Integrity Award U.S. Government Accountability Office Dec 2022 For exceptional strategic thinking and teamwork in effectively and efficiently planning and executing GAO’s High Risk Key Practices report, as well as efforts to facilitate continued action and progress on High Risk issues.
- Awarded to Sarah Kaczmarek
  GAO Honor Award, Results Through Teamwork Award U.S. Government Accountability Office Dec 2022 For extensive collaboration and consensus-building across the agency towards writing a strategic plan that is robust and wide-reaching towards addressing key challenges facing the Congress and the American people
- Awarded to Sarah Kaczmarek
  GAO Honor Award, Results Through Teamwork Award U.S. Government Accountability Office Jun 2022 For exemplary initiative and collaboration in planning and successfully launching GAO's impactful Centennial Celebration.
- Awarded to Sarah Kaczmarek
  GAO Honor Award, Integrity Award U.S. Government Accountability Office Dec 2021 For exceptional support to the Congress in its oversight of the federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and exemplary teamwork, collaboration, dedication, and commitment across the agency during this unprecedented time.
- Awarded to Sarah Kaczmarek
  GAO Honor Award, Meritorious Service Award U.S. Government Accountability Office Dec 2021 For exceptional leadership of a multi-year redesign of GAO's website, providing numerous critical enhancements, such as a responsive mobile design, that has increased website use and attention to the agency's work.
- Awarded to Sarah Kaczmarek
  GAO Honor Award, Results Through Teamwork Award U.S. Government Accountability Office Dec 2021 For exceptional planning and teamwork across the agency to support the presidential and congressional transition website and communication efforts focused on addressing some of the federal government’s most pressing issues.
- Awarded to Sarah Kaczmarek
  GAO Honor Award, Results Through Teamwork Award U.S. Government Accountability Office Dec 2021 For exemplary, agile teamwork for the timely development and delivery of novel digital content to the Congress for its real-time oversight of the Operation Warp Speed program.
- Awarded to Sarah Kaczmarek
  GAO Honor Award, Results Through Teamwork Award U.S. Government Accountability Office Dec 2021 For exemplary teamwork and initiative in identifying, reviewing, and reposting reports related to Afghanistan, with the goal to protect the safety of individuals associated with US assistance or programs following the withdrawal of US and coalition forces from Afghanistan in August 2021.
- Awarded to Sarah Kaczmarek
  GAO Honor Award Big Picture Award U.S. Government Accountability Office Dec 2020 For examining and compiling national drug misuse data, GAO findings, and empirical studies that will help raise congressional and public awareness of the high-risk nature of drug misuse and the need to enhance federal and other efforts to address it.
- Awarded to Sarah Kaczmarek
  GAO Honor Award, Results Through Teamwork Award U.S. Government Accountability Office Jul 2020 In recognition of exemplary efforts and collaboration by multiple GAO teams to provide timely information on the problem of drug misuse in the United States.
- Awarded to Sarah Kaczmarek
  GAO Honor Award, Results Through Teamwork Award U.S. Government Accountability Office Jul 2020 In recognition of exemplary work in establishing a resource to assist GAO and INTOSAI partners to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and delivering high-quality Website in a timely manner that represents GAO’s core values and commitment to advancing global accountability.
- Awarded to Sarah Kaczmarek
  GAO Honor Award, Results Through Teamwork Award U.S. Government Accountability Office Jul 2020 In recognition of exceptional teamwork in effectively and efficiently planning and executing GAO’s team media outreach guidance, driving significantly more engaged readers to GAO’s work, and increasing GAO’s visibility.
- Awarded to Sarah Kaczmarek
  GAO Honor Award, Big Picture Award U.S. Government Accountability Office 2019 For effectively representing GAO in print, broadcast, and online; creating new innovative communication products; and ensuring GAO's positive reputation as it is one of the most widely covered federal agencies.
- Awarded to Sarah Kaczmarek
  GAO Honor Award, Results Through Teamwork Award U.S. Government Accountability Office 2019 For exemplary teamwork and initiative developing and executing the Find an Expert webpage to significantly increase the visibility of GAO's work by making its experts more accessible.
- Awarded to Sarah Kaczmarek
  GAO Honor Award, Results Through Teamwork Award U.S. Government Accountability Office 2017 Award for exemplary teamwork and initiative developing and executing Fast Facts to significantly improve the reach and engagement of GAO's reports.
- Awarded to Sarah Kaczmarek
  GAO Honor Award, Results Through Teamwork Award U.S. Government Accountability Office 2017 Award for high level of excellence, dedication, and accomplishment by GAO staff collaborating across the organization to successfully develop, enhance, and innovate GAO’s Strategic Plan for Serving Congress and the Nation 2018-2023.
- Awarded to Sarah Kaczmarek
  2016 Outstanding Faculty Member for CCPE Tropaia Awards Committee, Georgetown University Apr 2016 The Outstanding Faculty Award honors faculty who advance the mission of the School and Georgetown University through active engagement of students in teaching and learning, a commitment to their industry or field of study, and contributions to the Georgetown and Washington, D.C. Communities.
- Awarded to Sarah Kaczmarek
  GAO Honor Award, Client Service Award US Government Accountability Office Dec 2014 Award for design and implementation of a website on GAO's products and services for Members of Congress and congressional staff.
- Awarded to Sarah Kaczmarek
  GAO Honor Award, Results Through Teamwork Award US Government Accountability Office Dec 2014 For exemplary innovation and teamwork while successfully planning, designing, developing, and executing GAO’s first blog—WatchBlog—to bring attention to relevant GAO work for Congress and the nation.
- Awarded to Sarah Kaczmarek
  GAO Honor Award, Big Picture Award US Government Accountability Office Dec 2011 Award for outstanding work assessing DHS's progress in strengthening homeland security and work remaining 10 years after the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.
- Awarded to Sarah Kaczmarek
  GAO Honor Award, Results Through Teamwork Award US Government Accountability Office Dec 2011 Award in recognition of exceptional teamwork and dedication that resulted in a comprehensive report, corresponding with the 10-year anniversary of 9/11, on progress made by DHS in implementing its homeland security mission and remaining gaps and weaknesses in its implementation efforts.