# Katz & Associates

> Founded by Sara Katz in 1986, Katz & Associates is the legacy San Diego strategic communications firm behind public outreach for water, transportation and environmental projects. It served public agencies, engineering firms and private developers through engagement planning, facilitation, construction relations and creative communications. Acquired by Southwest Strategies in 2023, it began operating under the unified Bodewell Group brand on February 23, 2026.

- **Founded:** 1986
- **Headquarters:** San Diego, United States
- **Founders:** Sara M. Katz (Founder and former CEO; now Strategic Advisor, Principal in Charge, and Partner at Bodewell Group)
- **Team size:** More than 40 professionals before acquisition, according to Sara Katz’s Bodewell biography. Bodewell reported roughly 140 employees across the combined group in February 2026; this is not a standalone Katz headcount.
- **Products:** Strategic communications and public involvement, Water reuse communications, Construction relations, Program management, Creative communications
- **Notable:** Helped develop the outreach program for San Diego’s Water Purification Demonstration Project, a 2015 U.S. Water Prize winner., Katz reported that historical polling approval for water purification increased from 26% in 2004 to 73% in 2012; the figures do not isolate the firm’s causal contribution., JPW reports more than 800 outreach contacts and 83% positive or neutral public-inquiry sentiment for joint Encinitas construction outreach.

## Products & services

- **Strategic communications and public involvement** — Engagement plans, stakeholder analysis, issue anticipation and facilitation for infrastructure and policy projects.
- **Water reuse communications** — Public education about potable and non-potable reuse, including facility tours, multilingual materials and outreach planning.
- **Construction relations** — Neighborhood liaisons, construction notifications, public inquiry management and coordination with construction teams.
- **Program management** — On-site communications specialists supported by senior counsel and additional project staff.
- **Creative communications** — Brand identity, graphic design, videos, presentations and digital materials for public-facing programs.
- **Media relations and crisis communications** — Public relations and issue-response services listed among the legacy firm’s specialties.
- **Water communication research and toolkits** — Patricia Tennyson co-led WateReuse Research Foundation work with Data Instincts on desalination and direct potable reuse communications.

## Achievements

- Helped develop the outreach program for San Diego’s Water Purification Demonstration Project, a 2015 U.S. Water Prize winner.
- Katz reported that historical polling approval for water purification increased from 26% in 2004 to 73% in 2012; the figures do not isolate the firm’s causal contribution.
- JPW reports more than 800 outreach contacts and 83% positive or neutral public-inquiry sentiment for joint Encinitas construction outreach.

## Latest updates

- **2026-02** — On February 23, Southwest Strategies Group and its acquired agencies, including Katz & Associates, began operating under Bodewell Group.
- **2024-01** — Katz & Associates announced Sarah Rossetto’s promotion to vice president.
- **2023-09** — Southwest Strategies issued its investment announcement on September 5, following public reporting on August 31; financial terms were undisclosed.

## Links

- Website: https://bodewellgroup.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/katzassoc
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/katzassociates
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bodewell_group/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katzassociates

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/katz-and-associates
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-09-12