Sarah A. Millican

With over a decade of experience as an independent business consultant, I excel in guiding organizations through online and offline information technology modernization and strategic communications. My approach focuses on human-centric strategies that ensure technology advancements and communication efforts resonate with internal and external stakeholders. 

The core of my strategic consulting efforts focuses on the following areas:

Information Technology Modernization

Technology modernization is most effective when it happens with people, not to them. My expertise is helping clients transform complex technology topics into multi-channel campaigns that engage internal and external audiences.

• Business-Led Technology Roadmaps: Conduct comprehensive analyses to assess the gap between current and desired future states to facilitate a seamless transition from business-led IT to innovative solutions.
• Legacy to Modern Technology Transitions: Assist organizations in leveraging legacy systems to develop new capabilities, avoiding unnecessary or infeasible full-system replacements.
• Enhanced Data Management and Enrichment: Prioritize data-driven insights to uncover commonalities across business lines and integrate data-related considerations into technology roadmaps, including architecture, governance, and solution prioritization.
• Humanizing Technology Modernization: Collaborate with business owners to use technology to improve performance, either by developing new products or reimagining existing processes.

Strategic Communications & Outreach

Effective communication is essential for adopting new technologies, programs, or initiatives successfully. I excel at crafting and executing multi-channel communication strategies that educate, engage, and influence online and offline audiences.

• Digital Strategy Development: Design, implement, and manage comprehensive digital strategies to enhance stakeholder engagement, drive web traffic, and boost user adoption.
• Corporate Identity & Brand Storytelling: Develop and articulate compelling brand narratives that resonate with target audiences and reinforce corporate identity.
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) & Search Engine Marketing (SEM): Harnessing metadata to leverage SEO and SEM to craft campaigns to improve search visibility, drive targeted traffic, and achieve marketing objectives.
• Content Creation & Outreach: Craft and disseminate high-quality content across various platforms, including infographics, social media, and online communities, to foster engagement and influence.
• Social Media & Influencer Marketing: Design and manage social media strategies, collaborate with influencers, and utilize influencer marketing to amplify reach and impact.

Website & Application Design & Development

In website and application design, usability and functionality are as crucial as visual aesthetics to ensure success. I specialize in the end-to-end design and development of user-centered, responsive websites and applications, always keeping the end user in mind, tailored for government, private, and nonprofit sectors.

• UI & UX Design: Creating intuitive and engaging user interfaces and experiences that enhance usability and satisfaction.
• Digital Personas & Use-Case Scenarios: Curating detailed digital personas and use-case scenarios to inform design decisions and ensure alignment with user needs.
• Customer Storytelling: Crafting compelling customer stories to guide design and development, enhancing user engagement and satisfaction.
• User Acceptance Testing (UAT): Designing and facilitating UAT to ensure websites and applications meet user expectations and functional requirements.
• Competitive Market Analysis: Conducting thorough market analysis to inform design strategies and ensure a competitive edge in the marketplace.

My professional experience in recent years has allowed me to help clients leverage the expedited branding process when launching a new business and navigate the noise in building a narrative for their company online.

Some clients in previous years include the Federal Communications Commission, cBrain, Small Business Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture—Farmers.gov, and a variety of U.S. small businesses, corporations, and nonprofit organizations.

Client // Small Business Administration (SBA)

Served as a dedicated Blogger, Community Moderator, and Quality Control Analyst for SBA's Business.gov Initiative:

• Content Creation: Crafted and curated content to equip current and aspiring small business owners with practical knowledge for starting, growing, and managing their businesses effectively.
• Community Engagement: Moderated online communities to promote active participation and support for small business owners, ensuring a positive and informative user experience in seeking help with their small businesses.
• Quality Control: Managed quality control processes to ensure all SBA.gov content maintained high standards of accuracy and relevance.

Client // General Services Administration (GSA)Data.gov Program Management Office:

Supported the launch and ongoing management of the Data.gov website.

• Conducted comprehensive requirements gathering and analysis for the site’s inaugural dataset management system (DMS); the DMS streamlined the U.S. Government-wide process for agencies to automatically submit datasets for review, analysis, and online publication.

Client // General Services Administration (GSA)Data.gov Program Management Office:

Supported the technology modernization strategy analysis for the Presidential Administration Transition Document.

• Contributed to developing GSA’s Presidential Transition Document, detailing the technology modernization strategy and outlining the tasks and initiatives required to achieve it.

Client // Office of Management and Budget (OMB) - Annual CIO Council Offsite

Assisted in the planning and designing the 2007-2010 annual CIO Council offsite event, attended by over 80 Federal Government Agency CIOs, Deputy CIOs, and executives.

• Events aimed to foster collaboration among U.S. Federal Government CIOs to enhance government-wide IT management practices.