Sarah Dougherty

Vice President, The Bliss Group 

Spoon feeding, in the long run, teaches us nothing but the shape of the spoon.

E.M. Forster

Sarah G. Dougherty is a vice president at The Bliss Group, an integrated communications agency focused on health care, financial and professional services. At Bliss, Sarah drives key professional services accounts and helps lead the firm-wide learning and development program. She was previously a senior associate at New York Life Insurance Co. for several years, where she helped run the core insurance and retirement businesses earned and owned media strategy. Sarah also co-founded the company’s national young professionals group. Before joining New York Life in 2018, Sarah served clients in corporate, financial and crisis areas at Burson (then Burson-Marsteller; previously BCW Global.) She served as vice president of career services on the 2016-2017 national committee of the Public Relations Student Society of America and is currently part of The Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations Emerging Leaders Committee.

Sarah is a two-time graduate of The University of Alabama. In 2017 she earned a B.A. in communication, cum laude, with majors in public relations and Spanish and a global studies certificate from the College of Communication and Information Sciences (C&IS). She was named the Barban Scholar by C&IS and the 2017 Outstanding Senior by the National Alumni Association; these awards recognize students who have consistently demonstrated exceptional achievement and personal character and whose contributions to UA exemplify the spirit of tradition and high potential in their future career field. In spring 2022, Sarah earned an M.A. in advertising and public relations as part of the Marketing Communication Management Program through C&IS and UA Online. She has also been an adjunct instructor, teaching PR Writing online for C&IS undergraduates. Based in New York, Sarah enjoys testing out the best fries in the city (Monkey Bar or Café Colette), running through Central Park or hosting a book club.