Sarah is a 4th generation Santa Barbara native who attended Santa Barbara High School. After earning her BA in English from UCLA, she began working in advertising sales in Los Angeles at television networks A&E, History Channel, Weather Channel, CBS, and Fox. During her tenure in the television industry, she worked with national corporations such as Walmart, Lexus, Honda, Starbucks and Wendy’s. She also oversaw station compliance for political campaigns on the local and national level as well as marketing and advertising campaigns for locally-owned businesses.
In 2013, Sarah relocated with her family back to Santa Barbara where she worked as a Business Development Director for the American Heart Association where she led fundraising and PR for the Go Red for Women campaign and Heart Ball. She successfully launched the first Red Tie Society on the west coast and set record breaking day of giving. For the last 6 ½ years Sarah served as the Development Director at the Music Academy where she oversaw Foundations Corporate partnerships, Women’s Auxiliary fundraisers as well as their Benefits program. Sarah was instrumental in bringing the Music Academy’s annual Gala back to its campus where it has become a beloved community event. In 2020 she successfully launched an online auction that garnered over $200,000.
Sarah has served on the Board of the National Charity League, Junior League of Santa Barbara and Albuquerque and the Santa Barbara Swim Club. While living in Tampa Bay she was a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Women’s Organization and involved in the NFL’s Play 60. She is a current member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and Charitable Gift Planners Council, a sustaining member of the Junior League of Santa Barbara as well as actively involved in the San Marcos High School Aquatics program.
Contact Information
Position Title: Chief Development Officer
Telephone number: (805) 730-4412
E-mail address: stretz@sbccfoundation.org
