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Hi, I'm Sarah!I'm an editorial leader and content strategist who helps brands figure out what their audiences come to them for—and how to keep them coming back. My career spans nearly two decades of experience across print and digital media, newsletters, UX/UI content, and brand storytelling. I've held senior-level staff roles at tech-forward companies like Fora Travel (one of the TIME100 Most Influential Companies for 2026) and legacy media brands like Travel + Leisure, Food Network Magazine, and Women’s Health. A sharp editor and thoughtful strategist, I love bringing together journalistic instincts, audience analytics, and a strong sense of voice to create content that feels useful and engaging.
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About Sarah Bruning
I’ve spent most of my career thinking about what grabs people’s attention—not just what makes someone click a link or pick up a magazine in the moment, but what makes a story resonate long-term and what makes a brand feel worth returning to.
Good content strategy starts with a deceptively simple question: Why us? Why should a reader trust this voice, open this email, share this story? What inspires them to book a certain trip or try a certain recipe? Working across so many different categories and platforms has made me realize the answer lives somewhere between instinct and rigor: a sharp sense of what constitutes a good story, a deep understanding of audience, a clear point of view, and the discipline to make every format work harder.
I came up in magazines, so I still believe in voice, pacing, packaging, service, and the power of a great headline. But I also know that just because a piece of content is great doesn’t mean people will care or even find it in the first place. We have to account for shifts in both algorithms and human behavior, which means I’m not just obsessed with figuring out what people already come to a brand for, but what they should be coming back for more often and how to make that happen.
Across nearly two decades in print, digital, product, and brand content, I’ve built editorial franchises, led cross-functional teams, shaped voice and storytelling strategy, and created distinctive content across multiple platforms.
Most recently, I was Senior Manager, Editorial and Content at Fora Travel, where I led strategy for the brand’s consumer-facing content ecosystem, including its traveler newsletter, blog, and print magazine. My work focused on sharpening Fora’s editorial voice, improving story packaging, and developing a more data-informed newsletter strategy that connected reader loyalty with marketing and business goals.
Before that, I was a Senior Content Designer at AbleTo, a virtual behavioral health company that’s now part of Optum, where I brought an editorial lens to member engagement, lifecycle communications, and UX copy. I owned strategy for the monthly member newsletter, launched segmented versions for nonmember audiences, and worked closely with product, clinical, and marketing teams to make sensitive health information feel clear, helpful, and human.
I spent 5.5 years at Travel + Leisure, where I led the World’s Best Awards, the brand’s multimillion-dollar annual tentpole, overseeing year-round editorial strategy and operations across print, digital, social, newsletters, video, PR, licensing, and revenue teams. I also led major editorial franchises and destination packages, including Destination of the Year and the Global Vision Awards.
Earlier in my career, I held staff roles at Food Network Magazine, Women’s Health, and Us Weekly, among other outlets. As a freelance writer, I’ve contributed to CNTraveler.com, SmartLuxury.com, Cosmopolitan, Domino, InStyle, Family Circle, and more, with copywriting and branded content clients including Blue Apron, Hearst Content Studio, Masthead Media, The Foundry, Teen Everyday Skincare System, and It’s Just Lunch.
Originally from Southern California, I now live in the greater New York City area with my family and rescue pup Pintxo. Outside of work, you’ll most likely find me reading fiction, planning trips based on the maniacally detailed Google maps I’ve created, or caked with flour from teaching my son to bake.
Good content strategy starts with a deceptively simple question: Why us? Why should a reader trust this voice, open this email, share this story? What inspires them to book a certain trip or try a certain recipe? Working across so many different categories and platforms has made me realize the answer lives somewhere between instinct and rigor: a sharp sense of what constitutes a good story, a deep understanding of audience, a clear point of view, and the discipline to make every format work harder.
I came up in magazines, so I still believe in voice, pacing, packaging, service, and the power of a great headline. But I also know that just because a piece of content is great doesn’t mean people will care or even find it in the first place. We have to account for shifts in both algorithms and human behavior, which means I’m not just obsessed with figuring out what people already come to a brand for, but what they should be coming back for more often and how to make that happen.
Across nearly two decades in print, digital, product, and brand content, I’ve built editorial franchises, led cross-functional teams, shaped voice and storytelling strategy, and created distinctive content across multiple platforms.
Most recently, I was Senior Manager, Editorial and Content at Fora Travel, where I led strategy for the brand’s consumer-facing content ecosystem, including its traveler newsletter, blog, and print magazine. My work focused on sharpening Fora’s editorial voice, improving story packaging, and developing a more data-informed newsletter strategy that connected reader loyalty with marketing and business goals.
Before that, I was a Senior Content Designer at AbleTo, a virtual behavioral health company that’s now part of Optum, where I brought an editorial lens to member engagement, lifecycle communications, and UX copy. I owned strategy for the monthly member newsletter, launched segmented versions for nonmember audiences, and worked closely with product, clinical, and marketing teams to make sensitive health information feel clear, helpful, and human.
I spent 5.5 years at Travel + Leisure, where I led the World’s Best Awards, the brand’s multimillion-dollar annual tentpole, overseeing year-round editorial strategy and operations across print, digital, social, newsletters, video, PR, licensing, and revenue teams. I also led major editorial franchises and destination packages, including Destination of the Year and the Global Vision Awards.
Earlier in my career, I held staff roles at Food Network Magazine, Women’s Health, and Us Weekly, among other outlets. As a freelance writer, I’ve contributed to CNTraveler.com, SmartLuxury.com, Cosmopolitan, Domino, InStyle, Family Circle, and more, with copywriting and branded content clients including Blue Apron, Hearst Content Studio, Masthead Media, The Foundry, Teen Everyday Skincare System, and It’s Just Lunch.
Originally from Southern California, I now live in the greater New York City area with my family and rescue pup Pintxo. Outside of work, you’ll most likely find me reading fiction, planning trips based on the maniacally detailed Google maps I’ve created, or caked with flour from teaching my son to bake.