PRESS & MEDIA

Press coverage and media features documenting advocacy work, legislative impact, and public health policy contributions.

Peer-reviewed publications on ResearchGate ↗

Press Kit

Name
Sara Kay (no “h”)
Title
Applied AI Engineer, IBM (HashiCorp)
Based in
Boston, MA
Link
sarakay.me
Speaking topics
Applied AI and LLM evaluation, data quality, the business of anime
One-liner ~20 words

Applied AI engineer at IBM (HashiCorp) in Boston. LLM systems, RAG, evals. Published researcher, maker. sarakay.me

Short bio ~60 words

Sara Kay is an applied AI engineer at IBM (HashiCorp) in Boston, where she builds production AI data-governance systems. At Moody's Analytics she raised RAG citation accuracy by 92% and shipped a $1.2M compliance product. She holds an MS in Business Analytics from Carnegie Mellon and a BA from Dartmouth, publishes research on household finance and survey methodology, and runs a laser-cutting maker studio. sarakay.me

Long bio ~150 words

Sara Kay is an applied AI engineer based in Boston. At IBM (HashiCorp) she built and owns a production service that automates data-governance decisions across distributed pipelines, the layer that decides what data AI systems can safely use. Before that, at Moody's Analytics, she engineered an LLM citation system that improved RAG citation accuracy by 92%, built GenAI credit-memo generation that saves analysts 8+ hours per report, and shipped a sanctions-compliance product that earned $1.2M in its first year. She holds an MS in Business Analytics from Carnegie Mellon (2026) and a BA in Computer Science and Quantitative Social Science from Dartmouth (2022), has published in the Journal of Financial Planning and the Journal of Family Theory & Review, and speaks on AI, data, and the anime industry. She also makes things: stickers, buttons and laser-cut pieces for artists, charities and Games Done Quick. sarakay.me

Booking a talk or quoting Sara? sara@sarakay.me

Media & Interviews

2026
Behind The Research — Journal of Financial Planning
Journal of Financial Planning
Sara was featured in the Journal of Financial Planning's Behind The Research series in February 2026, discussing her co-authored research on how technology shapes financial wellness outcomes.
Watch interview on YouTube →
Journal of Financial Planning Behind The Research Interview

Press Coverage

2026
Student Feature: Part-Time MSBA Program
Carnegie Mellon University - Tepper School of Business
Featured in Tepper School spotlight on Part-Time MSBA students. Discussed discovering the program at Grace Hopper, navigating the changing job market with AI, building a personal brand after layoff, exploring ethical uses of AI, and integrating spontaneous side projects into academic research and conference presentations. Highlighted the value of returning to school during a period of industry transformation and the importance of classmates who enabled deep dives into unconventional ideas during capstone work.
Read feature → (archived copy)
2023
Expert Source: Hawaii Vaping Legislation
Honolulu Civil Beat
Quoted as policy expert on Hawaii House-Senate conference committee agreement to tax and regulate vaping devices and vaping liquids the same as other tobacco products. Called the bill 'huge' and emphasized its importance in debunking tobacco industry claims that vaping products are less harmful than cigarettes. Highlighted the significance of changing public narrative on vaping dangers and treating these products with same regulatory scrutiny as tobacco. Article identified me as a Dartmouth graduate working as a software engineer in Boston.
Read article → (archived copy)
2018
National Youth Champion Award
PR Newswire / Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
Named 2018 National Youth Champion by Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids for leading statewide advocacy campaigns that resulted in Hawaii legislation restricting flavored tobacco sales and prohibiting smoking in cars with children. Received award in Washington, D.C. as a senior at Punahou School, with plans to study biomedical engineering and public health at Dartmouth University. Personal motivation stemmed from losing grandmother to lung disease caused by secondhand smoke exposure, despite her never smoking.
Read press release → (archived copy)
2017
Alaka'i Outstanding Advocate of the Year
Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawaii
Recognized with the Alaka'i Outstanding Advocate of the Year award for advocacy efforts with the Coalition's Youth Council. Helped pass law prohibiting smoking in cars with kids throughout Oahu. Pushed for statewide law, contacted lawmakers, and testified before Hawaii Legislature. Worked to strengthen Hawaii's statewide law prohibiting tobacco sales to anyone under 21. Demonstrated need to restrict youth online access to all tobacco products including e-cigarettes.
Legislative Impact