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Sarah Kurtenbach is not your typical USF success story. 

She chose USF for its affordability and paid tuition in cash, a decision grounded in discipline and foresight.

“I researched and applied for every scholarship, which made USF’s tuition less than the public universities,” she recalls. “They also made me feel the most welcome.”

Raised with a strong foundation of fiscal responsibility, Kurtenbach credits two former USF professors for further shaping her trajectory:

• Dr. Monty Bohrer, who taught her the art of marketing
• Dr. Nathan Nassif, who gave her confidence as a public speaker

“Those skills—and Jesus—got me where I am today,” she says.

After the business administration major graduated in 2009, her life took an unexpected turn.

“I was relocating to Atlanta to start a job in commercial real estate,” she explains. “My position was eliminated on my drive there.” 

That defining moment led her in a new direction, where she applied strategic insight and relentless hard work to help scale a small technology startup into a multimillion-dollar enterprise. After its acquisition by Gannett, a Fortune 500 company in NYC, Kurtenbach became the media mogul’s youngest vice president. 

In 2015, love brought Kurtenbach back to South Dakota. She married Chad Kurtenbach and began building a life rooted in faith, family and financial freedom. Over the next decade, she launched two successful 51ֱ�� businesses:

• The KB Group: A consulting firm helping startups and mid-sized companies grow through social media and influencer strategy expertise
• moveHER Money: A financial literacy platform founded in 2023 to empower young women with tools, confidence and valuable money management skills

“My second company fulfills a God-led passion to guide young women into mastering their own money,” she says. “Financial independence changes lives.” 

Today, the Kurtenbachs provide their children, Pierce and Ava, with a front-row seat to the benefits of smart, intentional money habits.