Alumni Spotlight: Cami Sarria ’17
As Gulliver celebrates its Centennial and looks ahead to The Next 100, our alumni continue to demonstrate the impact of a Gulliver education in inspiring purposeful careers and meaningful lives. For Cami Sarria ’17 , creativity, storytelling, and an entrepreneurial spirit have fueled a career helping brands connect with audiences in authentic ways. As the founder of SELF the Agency and Behind the SMM, she has built two successful businesses while empowering others to grow their own. She reflects on the teachers and experiences that shaped her journey, the lessons she still carries with her, and why staying connected to the Gulliver community remains so important.
What are you up to these days?
I’m the founder of two brands I’m really proud of. SELF the Agency is a boutique creative marketing and social media agency based in Miami — we work with entrepreneurs, influencers, and businesses to build brands that actually connect with people. Alongside that, I run Behind the SMM, a coaching and education brand for social media managers and agency owners who want to grow their own businesses. Every day looks a little different, which is exactly how I like it.
What inspired you to pursue your current career, and how has your path evolved?
Honestly, I’ve always been drawn to storytelling and creativity. I didn’t set out to start an agency, I just kept saying yes to opportunities that felt aligned, and eventually built something around them. The path wasn’t linear at all. I graduated from Gulliver in 2017, went to FIU and graduated with a PR, advertising and communications bachelor’s degree, and figured things out as I went. I slowly realized that combining strategy with creativity was my zone of genius. What started as a passion for content and branding turned into a full team, a roster of incredible clients, and now a second brand helping others do the same thing.
Was there something you learned at Gulliver—inside or outside the classroom—that’s made an impact on your life?
Taking journalism class genuinely changed my trajectory. We contributed work to the yearbook, and that’s where I first learned Adobe Illustrator and InDesign — tools I still use to this day in my work. It taught me that design isn’t just aesthetics, it’s communication. Learning how to tell a story visually, how to care about every detail on a page — that precision and intentionality carried straight into how I run my agency. I didn’t know it at the time, but that class was laying the foundation for everything.
Are there any Gulliver teachers or coaches who positively influenced you?
Two teachers come to mind immediately. Ms. Sinatra, my English teacher, made me fall in love with writing. She had a way of making you feel like your words actually mattered, and that stayed with me. I also want to honor Ms. Gerri, my dance teacher as her impact was immeasurable. She taught me discipline, expression, and how to show up fully for something you love. Both of them shaped me in ways that go far beyond school.
What clubs, sports, or extracurriculars were you involved in at Gulliver Prep, and how did they influence you?
Journalism class was my world — we did work that fed into the yearbook, and that’s where I really came alive creatively. I was also involved in dance, which was such an important outlet for me. The combination of the two — one very analytical and design-driven, one very physical and expressive — taught me how to balance structure with creativity. I think that balance is something I bring to my work every single day. Building a brand strategy requires both: the logic and the artistry.
What is one of your favorite memories from your time at Gulliver?
Working on projects in journalism class that fed into the yearbook. There’s something about being in that room, on deadline, making design decisions together that felt so alive to me. I remember caring so much about how every page looked — the fonts, the layouts, making sure it felt cohesive. Looking back, that was probably the first time I realized I had an eye for brand. I didn’t have the
vocabulary for it yet, but the instinct was already there.
What has been one of your proudest moments?
Building SELF the Agency from the ground up and watching it become something I’m truly proud to put my name on. Getting to lead a team, serve incredible clients, and create work that actually moves people — that’s something I don’t take lightly. I’m also proud of Behind the SMM, because it means I get to help others build the kind of freedom and clarity in their businesses that took me years to figure out.
What advice would you give to current students?
Stop waiting until you feel ready. I spent so much energy trying to figure out the “right” path instead of just starting. The truth is, clarity comes from action, not from overthinking. Also: pay attention in the classes that feel fun. The things that feel effortless and exciting to you are pointing somewhere important. For me, it was design and writing. Follow that thread, even if you can’t see where it leads yet. The skills you build and the things you discover about yourself during these years will carry further than you think.
As we mark our Centennial year, Gulliver is paving the way for the future of education in Miami by investing in teaching, learning and innovation. What excites you most about what’s ahead?
The intersection of creativity and technology in education is so exciting to me. The students coming up now have access to tools and platforms that didn’t exist when I was in school — but the fundamentals of storytelling, critical thinking, and communication are still what make everything else land. If Gulliver can keep cultivating those foundational skills while also giving students the space to innovate and build, the next generation of graduates is going to do incredible things. I love that the school is investing in that future intentionally.
As the school continues to grow and innovate, what do you believe is most important about honoring Gulliver’s history?
The relationships. The culture of excellence and care that has been part of Gulliver for a century doesn’t happen by accident — it’s built by the teachers, the families, and the community who pour into it year after year. As the school grows, I hope that intimacy and intentionality stay at the center. Innovation is exciting, but it should always be rooted in what made Gulliver special to begin with: teachers who see you, a community that supports you, and a standard that pushes you to become more.
How do you stay connected with, and support, Gulliver, and why is it important?
Gulliver gave me more than a diploma — it gave me the tools, the mentors, and the environment that shaped who I am as a creative and as a leader. Supporting the school feels like a natural extension of that. I make it a point to attend alumni events — it’s always meaningful to come back, walk those halls, and reconnect with past friends and teachers who were such a big part of my story. I want to give back what was given to me. Schools like Gulliver matter because they change the trajectory of people’s lives. I’m living proof of that.
