Three Questions for Sadie Dorf

Name: Sadie Dorf

Title and Organization: Earned Media, Social, and Content Manager – The Clorox Company

Graduation Year and Degree: 2014; both Strategic Communications and Reporting; certificate in digital studies

Sadie Dorf (BA’14) has built a career in earned media, social content and influencer marketing strategy. She has helped lead campaigns for iconic brands like Hidden Valley Ranch and its Ranchbassador program. Dorf shares how curiosity, hands-on experience and a passion for connecting with audiences helped shape her career in brand marketing.

When it comes to your work for Hidden Valley Ranch and the Ranchbassador program and your strategic communication career, what are you most proud of?

Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to bridge the gap between traditional marketing and how younger generations discover, consume, and engage with brands on social media.

As someone who grew up with social media, it feels almost like a second language. I love being able to translate that understanding into strategies that help established brands stay relevant while remaining true to who they are. It’s been incredibly rewarding to see how creative thinking, strategic communication, and innovative social marketing can drive real business impact.

I’m also incredibly proud to help lead our social team. It’s rewarding to know that something I’m passionate about has become an area where I can continue to grow while helping both the brands I work on and the people around me. As our team’s capabilities continue to expand, so does the impact we’re able to make across the business. Seeing the work my team does influence not only marketing, but broader business outcomes has been one of the most rewarding parts of becoming a manager.

That’s what keeps me excited about this field. Social media is constantly evolving, and I love that I’m able to evolve alongside it!

What is the best advice you have for a SJMC student who wants to do what you do?

Don’t wait until you graduate to start doing the work you hope to do someday.

One of the things I’m most grateful for is that I didn’t treat college as a waiting period. I used my time at Wisconsin to explore, experiment, and practice. Whether it was through classes, internships, student organizations, volunteer opportunities, or part-time jobs, I looked for every opportunity to apply what I was learning in the classroom to real situations.

There is so much opportunity right in front of you while you’re on campus, and my advice is to take advantage of it. Raise your hand, try something new, test an idea. Figure out what excites you and what doesn’t. Every experience is a chance to build your skills, your confidence, and your understanding of what kind of work energizes you and how you want to spend your time after graduation.

I had no idea the career I have today even existed when I was a student. But by continuing to put myself in situations where I could learn, practice, and experiment, I discovered what I was good at and what I loved doing. Looking back, it wasn’t one internship or one class that got me here. It was saying yes to lots of opportunities, staying curious, and trusting that each experience would teach me something valuable.

What is your favorite SJMC memory?

One of my favorite memories from the SJMC was being part of Curb magazine. I was the photo editor that year, and it ended up being one of the most formative experiences I had in college.

The role taught me so much beyond photography. It challenged me to collaborate with a team, manage my time, and put myself out there in ways I hadn’t before. My job was to photograph as many stories as possible for the magazine, which meant traveling all over Wisconsin to meet people and capture the stories my classmates were telling through images.

It gave me the opportunity to see parts of the state I never would have otherwise, meet incredible people, and learn how powerful visual storytelling can be. Looking back, it was one of the first times I realized that great communication isn’t just about telling a story, it’s about helping people connect with it. That’s a lesson I’ve carried with me throughout my career.