Meet the Team
Sarah BestSarah Best (CEO) and her team have won over a dozen awards for their digital marketing work, including Best Use of a Social Media Platform from Travel + Leisure. Recognized as a 40 Under 40 by InBusiness Magazine, Sarah's work has been profiled in SUCCESS Magazine, Crain's Chicago Business, Mashable, TechCrunch, Chicago Tribune, National Geographic Traveler and other publications.
Sarah guest lectures at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business. She was tapped to speak at Social Media Week for the MacArthur Foundation, and has twice been selected for SXSW (South by Southwest). An alumna of New York University, Sarah holds a Certificate in Entrepreneurship from the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program at Babson College and has furthered her business education at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. An avid traveler and multi-faceted creative, Sarah is also a poet who has been published in The Yale Review and Painted Bride Quarterly. As a visual artist and film curator, she has curated programs at the Museum of Contemporary Art (Chicago), Hyde Park Arts Center (Chicago), Mana Contemporary (Chicago / Miami / NJ), Links Hall (Chicago), Chicago Cultural Center, and Echo Park Film Center (Los Angeles). (she/her) (LinkedIn) |
Collin Quinn RiceCollin Quinn Rice (Senior Account Manager) is a performer, photographer, and multimedia artist living in Chicago. Originally from the Milwaukee area, Collin graduated from Northwestern University and they haven’t left Chicago since! With a B.A. in Theatre, an (almost) minor in Gender & Sexuality Studies, and a YouTube education in Photoshop, Collin worked with a number of arts organizations and small businesses in Chicago, quickly finding a niche in content creation and social media marketing.
When not scrolling through TikTok or pretending to be other people, Collin can be found knitting sweaters, drinking way too much coffee, or walking their dog, Winona, along Lake Michigan. (they/them) (LinkedIn) |
Daniel ProhuskaDaniel Prohuska (Senior Strategist) began his career as Sarah Best Strategy's persistent, perpetual intern while he worked on his B.A. at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Semesters rolled by, seasons came and went, and an intern he remained. After graduating with degrees in Strategic Communications and History, he jumped at the chance to join the SBS team full time. While he enjoys all sorts of communications tasks, Daniel is most driven by his passion for helping untold stories find their intended audience.
When he's not on Zoom, Daniel loves hunting for vinyl records, scrolling through obscure Wikipedia articles, and reassuring himself that THIS is the year the Packers win the Super Bowl. (he/him) (LinkedIn) |
Bilal DardaiBilal Dardai (Senior Writer) has worked in digital marketing and branding as a copywriter, editor, and social media coordinator for over 15 years. His clients have ranged from small businesses and not-for-profit organizations to large multinational corporations across a wide array of industries, including pharma/healthcare, government, real estate, performing arts, finance, and others.
In addition to his work as a business writer, Bilal is also a prolific and award-winning creative writer and dramatist, with a body of work that includes several acclaimed stage plays, immersive gaming experiences, and audio fiction shows. He lives in Evanston with his wife, his soccer-playing son, and a very snuggly dog. (he/him) |
Emily MarsoEmily Marso (Account Manager) built her career working in arts administration and education. With a formal background in marketing, development, and copywriting, and an informal background in funny internet jokes, she’s passionate about connecting the right words to the right audience.
Emily received her B.A. degree in Theatre, Political Science, and Chinese Language and Culture from Northwestern University. Alongside her work with SBS, Emily is also an actor, voiceover artist, and motion capture performer; catch her practicing surgery as Nurse Susie on Chicago Med, protecting the realms as Kitana in Mortal Kombat 11, or soothingly reading you your favorite audiobook. She likes lifting weights, loves chili cheese fries, and can tell you one obscure fact about each U.S. President. (she/her) |
Jackie BurhansJackie Burhans (Senior Strategist) has 15 years of digital strategy experience and focuses on providing thoughtful analysis to formulate KPI-focused, mindful strategies for digital marketing efforts. Jackie’s experience spans leading a team at a Milwaukee-based agency and leading search engine optimization efforts for a Fortune 500 company. Jackie has her Associate in Applied Arts in Graphic Design from Milwaukee Area Technical College and her Bachelor of Science in Advertising from The Art Institute. While design is still a passion of hers, she quickly found a talent for holistic digital strategy and finds great fulfillment in helping elevate positive voices.
Jackie grew up in southeastern Wisconsin, but is now settled in the hills and rivers of the driftless region with her husband and pup. She practices mindful living by teaching yoga and meditation, appreciating the beauty of the world through her camera lens, and co-hosting a mindfulness podcast. An environmentalist at heart, you can usually find her wandering among nature. (she/her) |
Caitlin BognarCaitlin Bognar (Digital Strategist) is an expert digital marketer with 6 years of experience in the field, including agency and corporate work. In her years in the industry, she has become a jack-of-all-trades type individual with a wide range of expertise in paid media, content marketing, and analytics. She loves working with small and large clients by uncovering their goals and creating a holistic, omnichannel marketing plan that spans from strategy, to activation, to optimizations/results.
Caitlin lives in Milwaukee, WI with her husband, Dave, and their two dogs, Lannie & Lola. They enjoy Wisconsin summers to the fullest attending Brewer games, kayaking, and visiting the beaches of Lake Michigan. She is very competitive and enjoys playing in volleyball and cards leagues, including euchre and cribbage. Outside of work she is a track coach for Shorewood Middle & High Schools. (she/her) |
Shaunté Barlow-GayShaunté Barlow-Gay (Writer) loves to write. It helps to soothe her and is the first form of expression she used as a way to express herself as a child. Shaunté has worked in numerous industries, including education, healthcare, and industrial supply. This diversity in focus has helped shape her as a writer. She is also a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.
She and her husband recently bought a home and are enjoying homeownership for now (until a hot water heater goes out—which happened one month after moving in!). She and her family love going into Chicago and exploring and experiencing new things through the eyes of her little one. Shaunté enjoys living life with no regrets and being in the moment. |
Ileana "Angie" CastroIleana "Angie" Castro
(Administrative Assistant) was born and raised in Chicago before moving to Madison, WI. She is blind and works with an adorable guide dog, a black labrador named Draco. Angie also runs a podcast called "This Is What Blind Looks Like," which strives to educate the general public about blindness through interviews with other blind people who are living productive, independent lives. Angie is very excited to join the team at SBS and cannot wait to grow professionally. When not working, Angie enjoys going for walks and playing fetch with her dog, going shopping (she's a bit of a fashionista), hanging out with friends and family, traveling, listening to music, spending a cozy night reading a good book or watching a show or movie, and occasionally scrolling on TikTok. Angie went to school at the Madison Media Institute for Recording and Live Sound. (she/her) |
Strategic Partners
In addition to the team members listed above, we work with a network of strategic partners who extend our team's capacity. These are relationships we've nurtured over many years, and we're happy to share our trusted network with you.
Featured Partners Include:
Featured Partners Include:
- Heather Bokon, Virtual Assistant
- Jennifer Graville Barker, Google Ad Grant Management
- Josh Klemmons, Training and Advocacy/Political Strategy
- Emily James, Graphic Design
- Distillery, Graphic Design