Expertise and Reputation

Nationally Recognized
Annette Frahm, principal, has earned a national reputation for innovative communications, big-picture thinking and expertise in changing environmental behavior. She is consulted for her insights and her ability to get things done. She has nearly 30 years of experience in green marketing and communications.

Wide-Ranging Environmental Knowledge
Sage Enviro offers knowledge of a wide range of environmental issues, such as salmon recovery, climate change, green landscapes, energy conservation and urban forest restoration. When you hire Sage, you don't need to explain issues and rewrite. Instead, you can focus on getting results.

Marketing Communications
Sage Enviro's creative strategies produce results that have an impact. Recent clients and projects include a progress report and business sector guidebooks for Seattle Climate Partnership, rebranding and new collateral materials for In Harmony Sustainable Landscapes and a corporate funding brochure for Restore America's Estuaries.

"We have worked with Annette Frahm for many years. Her experience and expertise have allowed us to take our message and marketing to the next level. She cares about our company, and the well being of our business, but above all she cares about us and our people. She is a pleasure to work with and a valuable member of our team."
--Ladd Smith, co-owner, In Harmony Sustainable Landscapes

Strategic Communications Planning

• Developed comprehensive audience-based communications strategy for City of Seattle's Urban Forest Management Plan. Other city programs used the strategy as a model.
• Analyzed gaps in implementation of public outreach recommendations in the Lake Washington-Cedar-Sammamish watershed salmon recovery plan. Resulting strategy recommended priority actions, such as a new initiative focused on streamside landowners, to make education and outreach more effective.
• Reviewed and rewrote strategic workplan for City of Seattle Restore Our Waters to focus efforts on specific tasks and outcomes and better communicate with the mayor and other city departments.

Social Marketing/Environmental Behavior Change
Information alone is not enough to change environmental behavior. Annette Frahm teaches workshops and consults on social marketing and strategies for changing environmental behavior. Recent workshops were for state pesticide program managers (sponsored by the US Environmental Protection Agency), the City of Berkeley Office of Energy and Sustainable Development and the Lake Washington-Cedar-Sammamish Watershed.

"Annette was engaging and knowledgeable." "Great overview, good pace, great presenter." "Good weaving of concepts and exercises. Helpful to hear about real-life examples."
--Participants in City of Berkeley Sustainable Behaviors workshop

"Good balance of hands-on and slides and case studies." "Clear, attainable, step-by-step marketing process." "A great use of time. I've done some social marketing reading but practical application has helped cement the ideas. Thank you."
--Participants in Recycling Council of British Columbia workshop

"Nice overview and summary. Great hands-on activity. Thank you--you're the greatest." "Everything presented felt very approachable and attainable and usable."
--Participants in EETAC workshop

"Information was great and thought-provoking." "Wonderful presentation, easy to understand." "I thought this class was great; it should be a full day class."
-- Participants in NAHMMA workshop

Click here for our workshop flyer

Education, Training and Presentations
Annette Frahm has been making presentations and teaching workshops for almost 25 years. Audiences span a wide range: landscapers, horticulture students, government and nonprofit staff, and Boy Scout troops. She gets high marks from audiences for her effectiveness as a speaker.

Recent presentations include:

• "Green Marketing," for sales force of Falcon Waterfree Technologies
• "The Market Is Going Greener! Ideas for the Green Industry," at King County's "The Business of Natural Yard Care and Design"
• "Make Your Aim More Accurate," at North American Hazardous Materials Management Conference
• "Concerns about Pesticides" and "Changes in Pesticide Regulation," to horticulture students as part of the Green Gardening Program

"Annette Frahm is a gifted presenter: clear, concise and credible. Equally as important, Annette goes the extra mile to ensure that her presentations are pertinent to the target audience."
--Karen Mays, King County Solid Waste Division

"You did a great job yesterday. Your demeanor and the presentation itself were both very polished and professional."
--Scott Stolnack, King County Water and Land Resources Division

"I feel my IPM class just keeps getting better thanks to [your] team's participation."
--Van Bobbitt, Horticulture faculty, South Seattle Community College

"Fantastic PowerPoint!" "Annette's stats are interesting and chilling." "Annette was extremely well prepared, slide presentation was good and notes that she gave out were helpful."
--Horticulture students at South Seattle Community College

Market Research and Evaluation
Market research and evaluation are key tools in planning effective green strategies. Sage Enviro has experience in a range of methods, including key informant interviews, surveys and focus groups. Recent clients include the Energy Trust of Oregon,Thurston County Environmental Health, the City of Seattle, King County and Seattle Housing Authority.

"Your evaluation is a classic. Brief, to the point, comprehensive, with hard evidence and a list of conclusions and recommendations."
--Doug Rice, King County Water and Land Resources Division

"The stakeholder survey was a wealth of information and inspiration -- excellent work, THANKS."
--Tracy Morgenstern, City of Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment

Facilitation and Collaboration
Annette has proven skills in bringing groups together to accomplish tasks and create effective projects. She has helped groups brainstorm, develop mission, vision and marketing strategies, and create networks. She recently facilitated a group of public, private and nonprofit staff in designing the first Seattle urban forest symposium. Other recent clients include Recycling Council of British Columbia, City of Bothell and In Harmony Sustainable Landscapes.

"Great facilitator!"
--Participant in RCBC workshop

Awards

• Savvy Award, 3CMA, the national City-County Communications and Marketing Association
• Bronze Award for Show Garden, Northwest Flower & Garden Show
• Outstanding Personal Service Award, North American Hazardous Materials Management Association
• Silver Anvil Award, Public Relations Society of America
• Blue Pencil Award, National Association of Government Communicators

Employment History and Education
Annette Frahm has nearly 30 years of experience in green marketing and communications. Her employment history includes the Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County, Puget Sound Water Quality Authority, Northwest Power Planning Council, Battelle Seattle Research Center, Western Resources Institute and Westview Press. She has an M.S. from Cornell University in environmental sociology and energy policy.

Broad Expertise
Sage Enviro and our associates have collective expertise in graphic design, market research, environmental policy and planning, facilitation, outreach and evaluation.