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Fast-paced, high-tech public relations requires practitioners that can handle every aspect of the job. Sarah Lytle, one of Bateman’s newest Senior Associates, shines in her ability to excel regardless of assignment, from managing media relations to polishing the copy on an op-ed or press release. Sarah recently joined Bateman after a two-year stint at Inkhouse PR, where she developed a love for all things cybersecurity working with clients like Checkmarx and Carbon Black / VMware.
“Cybersecurity is an industry that engages all levels of stakeholders, from nation states to corporations to individuals. From a PR perspective, that might mean I’m pitching a research report on dark web malware trends on Monday, and by Friday I’m focused on a vulnerability disclosure from a popular home security doorbell,” says Sarah. “I think we have a responsibility as communicators to take these macro, futuristic, sometimes incredibly scary stories and translate them into language that all stakeholders can understand.”
Quick Draw
Sarah joined Bateman Agency with an impressive background in rapid response, collecting best practices and taking clever approaches to some of the biggest news stories in tech and security. Her success is a result of meticulous preparation, putting together detailed resources and developing strong buy-in for the program among clients. While her individual response efforts may be put together in a matter of minutes or hours, they’re built on a foundation of months of work and years of experience.
“Rapid response gives us an opportunity to really prove our chops and get in on conversations that might just be surfacing,” says Sarah. “A data breach takes place every 40 seconds. When the news in this space is developing minute by minute, you need to keep a close eye and work swiftly in order to be the trusted source.”
All in the Family
Like many at Bateman Agency, Sarah considers family to be her top priority. “I come from a big, extended family with cousins that felt more like siblings,” Sarah says. Her childhood often included beach vacations with 20 or more family members, buffet-style meals at holidays with an abundance of mac and cheese, and a robust network of gossip: “Anything I told to one aunt would be told to the other three and my grammie within 24 hours!”
Given her family background, it’s no surprise that Sarah developed a passion for working with children. Sarah was both a Girl Scout and frequent summer camper as a child, and she pays it forward through volunteering with organizations like Strong Women Strong Girls, Special Olympics, and Big Sister Boston. After her upcoming move to Washington, D.C., Sarah plans to become a Girl Scout leader and reconnect with an organization that shaped her upbringing. “Adults are fine and obviously have their time and place, but sometimes you really just need a reminder of reality from a kid’s perspective,” Sarah observes.
A One-Woman TripAdvisor
While Sarah has taken on a number of new hobbies over the past year, her favorite pastime is researching, planning, and of course, taking road trips. Her most epic adventure so far was a three-week tour of the southern U.S. after graduating from Northeastern University, but she hopes to get back on the road soon with trips to the Pacific Northwest and Costa Rica.
Fun fact: Sarah can recite upwards of 70% of the 1991 Bill Murray classic, What About Bob?
