Immediately after graduation, Sarah Znerold packed up and moved to San Diego without knowing a soul. Nearly eight years later, the University of Denver alumna plans to stay and carefully grow her public relations firm.

“I want to continue to work with leaders in San Diego and keep the agency small enough to continue personalized service,” says Znerold, 27. She started Carlsbad-based SZPR Inc., nearly three years ago and still has her first client, Jet Ray Salon in Hillcrest.
Her growing client list ranges from beauty, fashion, arts and entertainment to technology, financial and real estate firms, but Znerold finds her work in the nonprofit sector most rewarding. “When you really feel you’ve made an impact, you really can’t duplicate that feeling,” she says about providing organizations with resources they otherwise would not have.

Znerold thrives in the hectic, deadline-driven environment of public relations. SZPR Inc. has been successful in placing feature stories for clients in local and national media. She works closely with Bravo San Diego on a pro-bono basis. Other local nonprofit clients are Vista Community Clinic, P33 Inc., African Conservancy, Oceanside Museum of Art and Mercy Housing.

Znerold sits on the board of the Keep A Breast Foundation and manages its PR efforts. She recently opened an office in Hawaii to work with The Hawaii Coalition for Organ and Tissue Donation and opened an office in Boston as well.

Clients who visit SZPR Inc.’s North County headquarters will likely meet and talk with Nube, who is not the official receptionist but a 2 1/2 year-old toast-eating, lock-picking cockatoo that accompanies Znerold to work each day. Her other cockatiels Sailor and Kia stay at home.