Sara Staats

Sara Staats is a strategy consultant with more than 25 years of experience advising academic, research, and mission-driven organizations on issues of strategy, growth, organizational design, and long-term sustainability. She spent seven years at Boston Consulting Group, where her work focused on education, healthcare, and organizational strategy. She is currently a co-founder of AltshulerStaats LLC, a boutique consulting firm serving leading universities, academic medical centers, foundations, and research organizations.

Sara’s work spans higher education, academic medicine, biomedical research, and K–12 education. She has led strategic planning efforts for nationally recognized academic medical centers, medical schools, cancer centers, and universities; advised presidents, provosts, deans, department chairs, and boards on institutional strategy and organizational priorities; and facilitated leadership retreats and strategic discussions for foundations, research collaboratives, and professional societies. Her work often focuses on helping organizations navigate periods of significant change, including evolving research landscapes, financial pressures, technological disruption, and emerging opportunities related to artificial intelligence and innovation.

Recent engagements have included strategic planning and organizational advisory work with institutions such as Harvard University, Dartmouth College, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, and UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. She has also supported university-wide initiatives related to online education, innovation ecosystems, AI strategy, new research institute development, and holistic institution strategic planning.

Sara received her Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Mathematics from Georgetown University and earned her MBA from Harvard Business School.