Our People
Sarah is highly regarded for her expertise in managing public outreach and communication programs. Since 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 is a seasoned operations manager with over 20 years of professional experience, bringing deep expertise in operations management, human resources, bookkeeping, strategic planning, and organizational support to KMP. Throughout her career, she has earned a reputation for streamlining processes, optimizing office functions, and supporting team growth through her strategic insights and dedication.
Lisa’s career spans association management, public finance, and higher education fundraising. As Membership Manager for the Sacramento District Dental Society, she led membership recruitment and retention efforts, significantly strengthening the organization’s network. Her background in higher education includes a pivotal role on the Advancement & Development team at the University of the Pacific, where she supported essential fundraising initiatives during the university’s record-breaking $200 million capital campaign. Before joining KMP, Lisa spent seven years with Larsen Wurzel & Associates, Inc. (LWA), a public finance firm, managing office operations, human resources, marketing, and financials. Her role at LWA allowed her to refine her skills across multiple functions, making her an invaluable asset to both her team and clients.
In addition to her operational expertise, Lisa brings strengths in marketing, database management, budget oversight, direct mail coordination, meeting logistics, IT support, and fundraising. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies and Communication from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, and has earned the Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification from HRCI. Lisa remains actively engaged in her field through memberships with the Sacramento Area Human Resource Association (SAHRA) and the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), ensuring that her approach remains both current and impactful.
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.
Lydiah is a dedicated project assistant with a robust background in customer service, project management, and website development. Since joining KMP, she has demonstrated a proven track record in handling multiple customer service initiatives, such as managing construction project information lines, where her calm demeanor and problem-solving skills provide significant value to clients and their customers.
Lydiah's experience includes supporting cross-functional teams and fostering communication across various projects to ensure client satisfaction and the success of contracts. She excels in roles that require adaptability, attention to detail, and a strong willingness to learn, thriving in environments that involve working with new programs to enhance project efficiency and communication.
Active in her professional growth, Lydiah brings a high level of adaptability and resourcefulness to every project, showing her readiness to contribute meaningfully to the team. She is committed to delivering quality support and improving project processes across diverse assignments. Her education includes a Bachelor of Science in Apparel Merchandising and Design and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from Iowa State University, where she honed her skills in both technical and creative aspects of project support.