Sara joined Smarty Pants as an Insights Whiz in June of 2021. Fascinated by consumers’ thoughts and behaviors, and chock full of market research experience, Sara now plays a key role in supporting qualitative, quantitative and hybrid research initiatives for the company’s retail, toy & game and food & beverage clients. Her daily contributions are broad and impressive – from screener and instrument development, fieldwork and data analysis, to crafting impactful data-driven stories that drive client business growth. She has a great eye for detail and is passionate about ensuring projects are executed with precision and excellence.

Sara began her fascinating journey to Smarty Pants as a project manager for a boutique firm where her responsibilities ranged from budgeting to conducting interviews to copy writing.  She went on to become an education coordinator for a non-profit dedicated to helping victims of domestic violence and cyberbullying. Empowered and filled with a desire to positively impact others, Sara became a high-performance coach offering training and coaching on productivity, energy, leadership, communication, relationships and more.

Sara began her specialization in market research when she joined Research & Marketing Strategies, Inc. in 2019 as a research associate. She was promoted twice during her two-year tenure in recognition of her excellence at designing and conducting primary research across healthcare, manufacturing, insurance and arts industries.

In true Smarty Pants form, Sara is an over-achiever – professionally and personally. She graduated summa cum laude from Capella University with a Master of Science in Psychology and a specialization in Leadership Psychology. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Saint Leo University as well as certifications in Project Management and High Performance Coaching™. Truth be told, her passion, versatility, work ethic, research know-how, drive for excellence and love of learning made Sara a must for the Smarty Pants team.

A native of Syracuse, New York, Sara recently returned to her roots after living in Florida for 16 years. When she isn’t hanging out with her partner, their dog Rocco or cat Loki, she can be found enjoying the great outdoors, reading a good book or spending time with her friends and family.

scruz@asksmartypants.com

Fun Facts

  • Dreams of having the superpower to fly
  • Lives in a historic home and often wonders if she has visitors that don’t use the front door
  • Thinks she was a NASCAR driver in a past life – loves cars (old and new)
  • Passionate about helping others and often volunteers to speak on topics such as stress management, productivity and confidence building
  • Proud of her upstate NY roots and always eager to introduce someone to salt potatoes, spiedies, chicken riggies, or how the city ‘bleeds orange’