Get To Know Us!

A monthly showcase of the amazing staff who make the International Center a place where the UF community meets all its international goals!

Sara Williams

Since joining the UF International Center in 2021, Sara Williams has brought not only her expertise in human resources but also a deep commitment to fostering a supportive workplace culture. As HR Generalist III,Sara plays a pivotal role behind the scenes—guiding hiring processes, onboarding new team members, managing payroll, and cultivating positive employee relations. Sara is more than a vital team member—she’s a driving force in creating a welcoming environment that reflects UFIC’s global values.

Sara is a born and raised Gainesville native. “One of my best childhood memories is going to the Tom Petty concerts,” says Sara. “My parents were big Tom Petty fans!”  She attended Gainesville High School and participated in dual enrollment at Santa Fe during her junior and senior years. She had her first child, Corey, and started working full-time and putting herself through St. Leo University, “I would take night classes or weekend classes—I don’t think I give myself enough credit for that either.”  Sara raised her family, put herself through school, and bought her first house on her own—all as a single mother!

She started her professional journey at Santa Fe College before getting her master’s degree and moving to the private sector, working at a few local construction companies. Her professional trajectory seemed linked with another member of our UFIC staff, Jackie Johnson, our Accountant IV. “Fun fact,” laughs Sara, “Jackie & I worked together at Santa Fe College 20 years ago, and then she was my supervisor at the Bursar’s office. I started working at the Bursar’s Office in 2016, and Jackie is the one who hired me. She moved to Biochemistry in the College of Medicine, and, unbeknownst to her, I was applying for an HR position there.  And when she moved to the International Center, a month later, I came! We’re a package deal!”

In 2021, Sara started working at UFIC, responsible for nearly every aspect of HR, “Recruiting, Class and Comp, Employee Relations, Benefits, Central Leave,” Sara rattles off the many concerns for her and her brand-new HR Assistant, Tessa Adams, to handle day after day. “There are no regular days in my position,” Sara says, having become a “jill-of-all-trades” in the day-to-day operations of the entire office. One of her favorite parts of her job is the Staff Engagement Committee, which she started when she recognized a need at UFIC, “It’s really important to me to have fun in the workplace—we’re here 40 hours a week, spending more time here than we’re really at home!”  The Committee has been responsible for events that bring together the staff from each department at UFIC, who don’t always get to spend time together, to relax and enjoy each other’s company.  They organize everything from our annual Holiday party to potlucks and ice cream socials that take place more frequently, “It’s just making sure our employees feel valued. It’s important to be noticed and appreciated. It’s important to interact and connect!”

A lot has changed in Sara’s life since joining the UFIC team— her first granddaughter was born, and Sara has become the consummate grandmother. “Alex is three, and boy, she is 90 to nothing! She keeps ‘Mee-mo’ busy!”  Earlier this year, Sara’s second granddaughter, Ainsley, was born. “She’s starting to smile and not sleep all the time! A grandparent's love is just a different kind of love. I think it's because I can be like, ‘Okay. They're back. They're yours now. I'm off duty!’” jokes Sara.

Experiencing the high of grandmotherhood was in tandem with the low of being diagnosed with breast cancer, “In 2022, I had my first mammogram, and it turned out I had a tumor in my right breast,” recounts Sara,“I was extremely lucky that I didn’t put that mammogram off!”  Sara had to undergo a lumpectomy and 22 rounds of radiation. Now, a breast cancer survivor, Sara makes sure to celebrate her fight, and the fight of so many women, every October. “I started a breast cancer awareness brunch to cheer those who fought and won, and to remember those who have not been so lucky.” She feels lucky to have been with the International Center, because she felt her community rise to support her, and for the birth of Alex, for bringing so much joy into her life, right when she needed it most.

She also became a world-traveler in 2024 when she left the country; she went all the way to Japan with a UFIC delegation!  “It was a very cool experience!” says Sara.“There’s so much world to see—growing up in Gainesville and then taking a bullet train past Mt. Fuji! I definitely have the bug now!”  She says that traveling like that was exhausting, but incredibly enlightening—she came back with a souvenir for every person in her life, and a super-charged love of sushi and ramen.

These days, Sara spends her time away from work, doing the work of a mom and a grandmom.  Her son works as a lineman with Duke Energy, and her daughter is on the JV volleyball team at The Rock school, “Volleyball mom, lineman mom! And now I have two grandbabies!”  Her family is tight-knit and extremely important— “They keep me busy!” She even started a new hobby with her husband, “We had a little midlife crisis and bought a 1966 Mustang named Lucille.”  Now weekends also fill with car shows and taking Lucille out on date night!

Sara’s journey—from raising a family while building her career to navigating challenges with resilience—reflects the dedication she brings to UFIC every day. Whether she’s solving HR puzzles, planning a staff event, or sharing stories about her granddaughters, Sara remains a steady, thoughtful presence in the office. UFIC is grateful to have her on the team!

Story by: Terrence Funke

UF Photos by: Christina Cozart