Sara A. Walsh
Managing Director

Sara A. Walsh is the Managing Director of Marketing and Communications at Marks Paneth & Shron LLP. In this capacity, she manages the marketing and communications department and handles all aspects of strategic business and marketing planning. Her role encompasses formulating business development strategies, establishing the infrastructure to carry them out, and overseeing their tactical execution. Additionally, she is responsible for managing the firm’s brand and supervising all external and internal communications activities. Her areas of expertise include research/segmentation, internet/extranet, client relations and communications.

Ms. Walsh joined Marks Paneth & Shron in 2005, bringing to the firm a strong background in formulating and implementing ideas from concept through launch. Previously, she was Chief Knowledge/Marketing Officer for the Investment Banking Division of Morgan Stanley. In this position, she directed the creation and management of the knowledge management and marketing and communications infrastructure in support of the division’s business strategy and objectives. Her role also included developing e-commerce initiatives, influencing the direction of technology investments, collaborating with external thought leaders and directing a global department of 20 employees.

Her prior experience also includes a rich history of progressive marketing management positions with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and its predecessor firm Coopers & Lybrand (C&L). Ms. Walsh previously served as Director of Global Knowledge Management for PwC, where her role encompassed all aspects of the firm’s global extranet activities. Earlier, she held the position of Director of Knowledge Management for Coopers & Lybrand were she evaluated opportunities to develop and implement extranets that created or captured vital markets and that enhanced the level of service the firm provided to clients. She also has the distinction of having co-founded the Tax News Network — an online, interactive tax and business information service for tax, financial and legal professionals — for C&L in Washington, DC. This successful business leveraged the Internet, which was an emerging distribution channel at the time, to strengthen the brand, enhance client relationships and increase revenues, resulting in capturing 40 percent of Fortune 1000 and 70 percent of “top tier” and non-audit clients. Prior to co-founding the Tax News Network, Ms. Walsh was a Marketing Manager for C&L, where she managed the implementation of marketing and sales programs, conducted market research, and supervised public relations, advertising and promotional activities.

An active contributor to the professional community, Ms. Walsh participates in several organizations, including the American Marketing Association and the Marketing Executives Network Group. She is also a member of the Knowledge Management Cluster, a group dedicated to advancing the art and science of knowledge management. Additionally, she has taught classes on e-commerce at The New School University and Parsons School of Design, both in New York.

Ms. Walsh holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Denison University and a Master of Business Administration in international management from Thunderbird, The Garvin School of International Management in Glendale, Arizona. She is based in New York City at Marks Paneth & Shron’s midtown headquarters and she resides in Connecticut.

Denison University, Granville, Ohio
Bachelor of Arts
Major: Political Science

Thunderbird, The Garvin School of International Management
Master of Business Administration
Major: International Management

Member, American Marketing Association
Member, Knowledge Management Cluster
Member, Marketing Executives Network Group
Member, Public Relations Society of America
Board Member, PM Forum