Sara Taylor

Sara Taylor Fagen (born September 15, 1974, in Dubuque, Iowa) is an issue strategist that specializes in integrating data and technology. Sara spends her time working with DDC Advocacy, a campaign, PR, & technology firm; Deep Root Analytics, a media analytics firm; Resonate Insights, a big-data online media firm, and CentraForce, a cross-media research company. Sara is a technology and data entrepreneur who is a former Bush White House political aide.

Career

In 2008, Fagen founded a new media firm, BlueFront Strategies, a strategic consulting and public affairs company, focused on providing the business community with cutting edge issue advocacy and solutions.

In mid-2009, Fagen co-founded, with public affairs veteran John Brady, the company Resonate Networks, an advertising firm that uses data on political leanings and attitudes to help companies and interest groups sell online ads.

Fagen became a Partner at DDC Advocacy in 2011 after the company acquired Bluefront Strategies. In 2013, Fagen, along with the partners of TargetPoint Consulting, formed Deep Root Analytics, a media analytics company that helps clients use big data to make smarter ad buying decisions. Fagen also sits on the board of CentraForce, a cross-media research company revolutionizing how audiences are defined, reached, and brought to the point of action. Sara’s commentary can be seen on CNBC, where she is regular contributor.

Her Businesses

DDC Advocacy

Founded in 1996 by B.R. McConnon, III, Democracy Data & Communications, LLC (DDC) has grown from a pioneering political software and technology-consulting firm—to what is known today as DDC Advocacy, a full-service public affairs firm that combines comprehensive capabilities to deliver high-impact, integrated advocacy strategy on critical issues. Over the years, numerous awards have recognized our company’s rapid growth and expansion—including repeated ranking in the Deloitte Fast 50 for fastest-growing privately held companies, and Inc. 500, among others. Our company’s development is also evidenced by several partnerships—including merging with OnPoint Advocacy in 2008, and acquiring BlueFront Strategies (a political consulting firm founded by Sara Fagen) in 2011. Today, Chairman, CEO, and Founding Partner B.R. McConnon, III, is joined by six partners who offer clients expertise ranging from architecting advocacy programs to political campaign management. Additionally, DDCA employs 140 professionals in its Washington, D.C.-area headquarters, and maintains hundreds of field operatives in all 50 states.

Deep Root Analytics

In 2013, Fagen and the partners of Target Point Consulting founded Deep Root Analytics, a media analytics company that helps client use big data to make smarter ad buying decisions. They aim to take microtargeting to the next level by providing the next generation of web-enabled media targeting.

Resonate Insights

Resonate Insights was founded in 2008 and has pioneered a new model for using “big data” to develop a sophisticated understanding of consumer motivations, values, attitudes and beliefs. Resonate’s approach goes beyond traditional targeting on broad demographics, past behaviors or general interests. Political campaigns, advocacy groups and major consumer brands now use Resonate’s motivations based targeting to deliver successful online ad campaigns based on otherwise unidentifiable values such as patriotism, environmentalism, taste for luxury, interest in innovation and thousands of other human dimensions. Headquartered in Reston, VA. with offices in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, D.C., Resonate is privately held, having raised nearly $30M in funding from firms including Greycroft Partners, iNovia Capital and Revolution Growth.

CentraForce

CentraForce is founded on the premise that accurately defining and understanding the core target audience must be at the center of any analysis. This single audience-centric database allows clients to make their most critical decisions based upon the totality of data/information available to them, internally, and from the copious amounts of rich data coming from outside sources. All end-users, from the CEO down, can then employ this intelligence.

Education and early career

Fagen graduated from Wahlert High School, a private, co-educational, Roman Catholic school in Dubuque, Iowa, in 1992.^[1] She then attended Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. While in college, she was the National Co-Chairman of the College Republicans. She also took a year off, in 1995-1996, to work on Senator Phil Gramm's presidential campaign in Iowa.^[2]

After graduating from Drake in 1997 ^[3] with a B.S. in Finance, Fagen worked for two years at the Tarrance Group, a northern Virginia polling firm headed by Ed Goeas.^[4]

In from April 1999, Fagen began working for the presidential campaign of George Bush. Her initial position, through January 2000, was coalitions director for Bush's Iowa caucus campaign. She then did field work in the South Carolina, Virginia, Washington, and Illinois primaries, and finally served as executive director of the Michigan campaign. After Bush was elected, Fagen worked for the White House as an associate political director (Midwest) doing political and public affairs outreach.^[2][4]

Fagen became the Deputy to Matthew Dowd, Chief Strategist for the Bush-Cheney 2004 re-election campaign. Sara earned her reputation as one of the nation’s leading political and issue campaign strategists, serving as a senior aide and White House Political Director for President George W. Bush, and playing a pivotal part in the 2004 Bush-Cheney re-election campaign. During the campaign, The Wall Street Journal called her a “data whiz,” and said: “As a top strategist for the 2004 Bush-Cheney re-election efforts Fagen helped perfect political micro-targeting.” She also served as a senior strategist helping to direct the President’s message development, paid media strategy, and opinion research.

After Bush’s 2004 re-election, Fagen returned to work in the White House, where she served as the Director of the White House Office of Political Affairs and Deputy Assistant to President George W. Bush. She left for the private sector in May 2007.

Dismissal of U.S. Attorneys controversy

On June 13, 2007, the Senate and House judiciary committees issued a subpoena to Taylor, to produce documents and testify before the committee. A subpoena was also issued to Harriet E. Miers, former White House counsel and supreme court nominee. In response to the subpoenas, the White House said that its longstanding policy was that no past or present White House officials would be permitted to testify under oath before the panels, and that only private, non-legally-binding, non-transcribed interviews would be permitted.

The Democratic chairs of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees said that the White House terms were unacceptable.^[5]

A ranking member of the Senate Judiciary committee, Arlen Specter (R-PA) said that the White House had not responded to an April 11, 2007, inquiry by the committee, and he supported the issuance of the subpoena in light of the lack of response by the White House and Taylor. On July 9, 2007, White House counsel Fred Fielding, in letters to Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Representative John Conyers (D-MI) said the President Bush is invoking executive privilege and not allowing Taylor to testify, but reiterated that Taylor was available for a private, off the record interview.^[6]

Personal

Fagen is the daughter of Ray Taylor, a former Iowa state representative. She is married.

References

1. Mary Rae Bragg (October 29, 2007). "Dubuque native found herself in the spotlight of a political controversy". Telegraph Herald.
2. Sridhar Pappu (July 12, 2007). "A Bush Aide's Long Road From The White House". Washington Post.
3. "Drake Honors Outstanding Alumni Achievement, Loyalty". Drake University. May 4, 2006. Retrieved 2009-10-02.
4. "President George W. Bush-Campaign Organization". Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action. Retrieved 2009-10-02.
5. Stout, David (June 13, 2007). "Congress Subpoenas Miers and Another Former Bush Aide". New York Times.
6. Marre, Klaus (June 13, 2007). "Specter endorses subpoena of White House official". The Hill.