Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris And Kate Sabbatini.
Hi Chris and Kate, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Our story is really about building something together over time—and allowing both the business and our partnership to evolve in tandem.
In the early days, we were doing a bit of everything—websites, animated infographics, graphic design—really any opportunity that allowed us to create and build relationships. We were focused on doing great work and saying yes to the right opportunities, even if the path wasn’t fully defined yet. Starting the business in Washington, DC ended up shaping that path more than we could have planned. We were surrounded by incredible nonprofit organizations, and through a few early relationships—especially with organizations like Bread for the City—we began to see the real impact our work could have.
About a year and a half after Chris started Sabra, Kate joined as an animator. What started in a clearly defined role didn’t stay that way for long—we very quickly became partners in everything. As the business grew, so did our collaboration. Kate helped bring clarity and intention to where we were heading, especially as we began to realize that our work with nonprofits was where we felt the most aligned and impactful. That shift—from taking on a wide range of projects to focusing on mission-driven organizations—became a defining moment for us, and one we fully committed to.
At the same time, our roles naturally took shape. Chris leans into creative direction and relationship building—with our clients, our team, and our network of vendors and partners—while Kate focuses on operations, structure, and turning ideas into scalable systems. In practice, though, we approach almost everything together at a conceptual level. We talk through ideas, challenge each other, and shape decisions collaboratively before they ever become execution. That dynamic—having very complementary skill sets and a shared point of view—has become one of the biggest strengths of both our partnership and the business.
Over time, what we offered didn’t change as much as it became more focused. We refined our services around what our nonprofit clients actually needed—support that extends beyond one-off projects into long-term partnerships. That evolution is what led to the structure of Sabra today: website design and development, ongoing creative support through our Concierge service, and managed hosting and maintenance through SabraCare+. Each piece reflects years of listening, adapting, and building relationships that continue well beyond a single deliverable.
About five years ago, we made the move to Baltimore, and it’s been an incredibly meaningful chapter for us—both personally and professionally. We’ve found a community here that we genuinely love being a part of. At the same time, our proximity to Washington allows us to stay closely connected to the clients and relationships that helped shape our business in the first place. Now, we’re focused on continuing to grow in both places—deepening those long-standing partnerships while also expanding our work and supporting more nonprofits here in Baltimore.
Today, we’re not only running Sabra together—we’re doing it as a married couple, which adds another layer to how we collaborate, communicate, and grow the business. Looking back, the through line is that we didn’t start with a perfectly defined plan—we built Sabra by paying attention, refining as we went, and leaning into our strengths as partners. What we’ve created is not just an agency, but a reflection of how we think, work, and continue to evolve together.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t been a smooth road, but many of the challenges have been more about how we operate than what we do.
One of the biggest ongoing challenges has been capacity—learning how to manage a growing volume of work without overextending ourselves or our team. In a service-based business, especially one built on long-term relationships, it’s easy to say yes too often. We’ve had to get much better at pacing projects, setting clear expectations, and building systems that allow us to deliver consistently without burning out.
Another challenge has been building the right internal structure as we’ve grown. Early on, everything lived in our heads. As the work became more complex—with multiple clients, timelines, and collaborators—we had to invest in project management systems, communication workflows, and clearer roles across the team. That shift from “scrappy and reactive” to “structured and proactive” wasn’t always easy, but it’s been critical to sustaining the business.
We’ve also navigated the natural pressures that come with running a business together as a couple. There’s a constant balancing act between work and life, especially when both are so intertwined. Over time, we’ve had to be intentional about creating boundaries, defining responsibilities, and making space to step out of work mode when needed.
Lastly, like many creative businesses, we’ve had to get comfortable with uncertainty—whether that’s fluctuations in project timelines, client budgets, or broader economic and political shifts that impact nonprofit organizations. Learning how to anticipate those factors while staying flexible has been a key part of our growth.
All of these challenges have pushed us to be more disciplined, more communicative, and more thoughtful in how we run Sabra day to day.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Sabra Creative?
Sabra Creative is a creative agency focused on helping mission-driven organizations—especially nonprofits—communicate more clearly, connect more deeply with their audiences, and ultimately drive greater impact.
We design and build digital experiences, brands, and long-term creative partnerships that help our clients grow and communicate more effectively. Our work generally falls into three core areas: digital transformation through website design and development, ongoing design partnerships through our Concierge service, and ongoing website maintenance, security, management, and support through our SabraCare+ subscription. We recently expanded SabraCare+ to support nonprofits with WordPress websites even if we weren’t the original developers, which has allowed us to help even more organizations maintain stable, secure, and well-supported digital platforms over time. A big part of what we do is helping organizations create consistency across everything they put out into the world, so their message is not just well-designed, but aligned and effective over time.
That work often extends beyond digital into some of the most visible and meaningful touchpoints our clients have each year—things like annual reports, fundraising galas, and event campaigns. We love designing these pieces because they sit at the intersection of storytelling and strategy. It might be a comprehensive annual report that captures impact in a compelling way, or a full suite of gala materials—from invitations, to signage, to large-scale event graphics. What we’re especially proud of is our ability to support these initiatives year after year, evolving the creative so each campaign feels fresh and distinct while still reinforcing a consistent, recognizable brand.
The business itself has evolved a lot. Early on, we were doing a wide range of creative work for anyone willing to take a chance on us. About a year and a half in, Kate joined the business, and very quickly we became partners in everything. Now we’re married and running Sabra together, and that partnership really shapes how we approach the work—there’s a constant level of collaboration and shared thinking behind everything we do.
As we grew, we started to recognize that the work we found most meaningful—and where we could have the greatest impact—was with nonprofit organizations. Through relationships with clients like Bread for the City, we saw firsthand how thoughtful creative can help organizations tell complex stories in a way that actually moves people to engage, give, and take action. That realization led us to refine our focus and build our services around the needs of those teams, and today we’re proud to support a wide range of mission-driven organizations including Martha’s Table, N Street Village, Association of Black Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists, the National Capital Lyme Disease Association, and Horton’s Kids.
What sets us apart is both that focus and how we structure our relationships. Chris leans into creative direction and relationship building across clients, partners, and our team, while Kate brings a strong perspective on storytelling and visual execution. At the core, we approach everything collaboratively, which helps ensure the work is both strategic and cohesive.
We’re equally intentional about the relationships we build internally. We’ve been fortunate to work with an incredible team, many of whom have been with us for years. Our lead designer, for example, has been with us for nearly a decade—about a third of his life—and that kind of longevity means he doesn’t just understand our standards, he understands our clients deeply. He knows their voices, their audiences, and what resonates, and there’s a real sense of pride and satisfaction in being able to design for organizations he’s grown alongside over time.
We’ve built Sabra around long-term partnerships—both with our clients and our team. Instead of handing off a project and moving on, we stay engaged—helping evolve websites, supporting ongoing design needs, and adapting alongside our clients as they grow. That continuity leads to stronger outcomes, deeper relationships, and work that is more thoughtful at every level.
What we’re most proud of, brand-wise, is that Sabra has become known for being both highly creative and highly reliable. Clients come to us not just for design, but for clarity, consistency, and a true sense of partnership. For organizations doing important and often complex work, that combination is what allows creative to actually make a difference.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
For us, mentorship and networking have never been about formal programs or transactional outreach—they’ve grown out of relationships built over time through the work itself.
Early on, we didn’t set out thinking, “we need to find mentors.” Instead, we focused on doing thoughtful, reliable work and being genuinely invested in the people we were working with—clients, collaborators, and even vendors. Over time, some of those relationships naturally evolved into mentorship. We’ve been incredibly fortunate to learn from nonprofit leaders, development directors, and communications professionals who are not only exceptional at what they do, but also generous with their insight and perspective. In many ways, our clients have been some of our most impactful mentors.
Every organization approaches communication, fundraising, community engagement, and storytelling a little differently, and we’ve learned so much by being invited into those conversations. One of the things we love most about our work is that we’re able to carry those lessons forward—taking what we learn from one partnership and applying that knowledge to help other organizations communicate more effectively and create greater impact.
One thing that’s worked especially well for us is staying close to the work and the mission. Because we partner so deeply with our clients—often over many years—we’re not just delivering projects, we’re part of ongoing conversations about strategy, storytelling, and impact. That proximity creates space for real learning and trust, which is where mentorship tends to take root.
From a networking standpoint, we’ve found that consistency and authenticity matter far more than volume. It’s not about meeting as many people as possible—it’s about showing up, following through, and building relationships that last. Some of our strongest connections have come from simply staying in touch, checking in between projects, and being present at the moments that matter to our clients, like events or major milestones.
If we were to give advice, it would be: don’t overthink finding a “mentor” as a title. Focus on building meaningful relationships with people you respect, be curious, ask thoughtful questions, and do great work. The mentorship piece often follows naturally.
Pricing:
- SabraCare+ is $4,500/year
- Website Design and Development projects are in the $30-$40k range
- Concierge engagements depend on how many concurrent projects the organization needs (we usually do 2 or 3 concurrent projects and can complete an unlimited number of projects in the year)
Contact Info:
- Website: http://sabracreative.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sabra.creative/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sabracreative
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sabracreative/
