Professional Role and Company Affiliation
Sarah Todd currently serves as a Reporter at STAT, focusing on the commercial determinants of health. She transitioned into this reporting beat in January 2025 after joining STAT in October 2022 initially as an assignment editor. Her role involves in-depth analysis and reporting on how factors such as food, alcohol, and other commercial products impact public health outcomes. This specialization positions her at the intersection of health policy, consumer behavior, and regulatory environments.
Career Background and Expertise
Prior to joining STAT, Sarah Todd was a senior reporter at Quartz, where she covered topics related to work, labor, and broader socio-economic issues. Her journalism career spans over a decade, during which she has developed expertise in health, business, and finance sectors, as evidenced by her diverse portfolio of articles and reporting subjects ranging from food safety programs to regulatory responses in public health.
She is based in Brooklyn, New York, and maintains a professional network exceeding 500 connections on LinkedIn, indicative of a well-established presence in media and health journalism circles.
Educational Background
Sarah Todd holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Pomona College and a master’s degree from the University of Oregon. She is currently pursuing an MBA at INSEAD, reflecting a commitment to deepening her understanding of business frameworks alongside her journalistic endeavors.
Reporting Focus and Recent Work
Since assuming her current beat, Sarah Todd has produced multiple investigative and analytical pieces on topics such as:
- Regulatory issues and public health impacts related to nicotine products (e.g., FDA authorization of Zyn nicotine pouches).
- Food health controversies and nutritional policy (coverage of ultra-processed foods, seed oils debates, and the return of whole milk to school cafeterias).
- Public health communication and crisis analysis, exemplified by her reporting on corporate responses to infant botulism outbreaks and critiques of dietary guideline inconsistencies.
- Healthcare industry trends, including AI adoption in medicine and health equity factors.
Her work frequently intersects with industry regulations, scientific research, and commercial influences on health behaviors, offering a nuanced perspective valuable for stakeholders operating within or adjacent to the health, food, and pharmaceutical industries.
Publications and Media Presence
Sarah’s journalistic contributions appear predominantly on the STAT News platform, with additional bylines in respected outlets such as The Guardian, The Atlantic, Salon, and American Banker. She is active on social media, notably on X (formerly Twitter) under the handle @SarahLizChar, where she engages with her professional community and sources story ideas.
Correspondence can be directed to her professional STAT email: sarah.todd@statnews.com. For secure communications, she is reachable via Signal at sarahlizchar.47.
Awards and Recognition
While specific awards related directly to her STAT tenure are not highlighted, Sarah Todd has a history of earning journalistic accolades earlier in her career, such as:
- Publisher EMAP’s Trainee Reporter of the Year.
- Recognition within the sports journalism domain, having been named 2022 Utah Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association for her work covering the Utah Jazz.
- Her past work and strong journalistic skillset suggest a reliable and well-regarded professional with the capacity to produce high-impact, credible reporting in health and business contexts.
Relevant Insights
Sarah Todd's current focus on commercial determinants of health—an emerging and critical area examining how market forces influence health outcomes—places her as an influential voice capable of shaping public discourse on regulatory and industry practices. Her educational pursuits in business (MBA at INSEAD) coupled with her deep journalistic experience provide her with a hybrid perspective on health-related commercial practices, potentially increasing her engagement with complex business and policy scenarios.
Her location in Brooklyn and extensive professional network further integrate her into the media and health policy ecosystem in the New York region, a significant hub for health reporting and advocacy. Her coverage of regulatory shifts, such as FDA decisions and public health funding changes, underscores her role in monitoring evolving landscapes relevant to health stakeholders.
Summary of Key Contact Information:
- Name: Sarah Todd
- Company: STAT
- Position: Reporter, Commercial Determinants of Health (since Jan 2025)
- Joined STAT: October 2022 (Assignment Editor)
- Location: Brooklyn, New York
- Education: B.A. Pomona College; Master’s University of Oregon; MBA candidate at INSEAD
- Contact Email: sarah.todd@statnews.com
- Social Media: X – @SarahLizChar; Signal – sarahlizchar.47
This profile reflects a seasoned journalist with a strategic focus on health-related commercial influences, poised to provide insightful analysis on regulatory, industry, and public health interfaces.
