Sandra Williams

Pride In Working Behind The Scenes

There is nothing “behind the scenes” about Sandra Williams. On any given day, you can find her in every corner of the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown.

That is of course, if you can keep up.

Whether cleaning fingerprints from exhibition cases to routine dusting, Sandra stays on the move, leading her housekeeping team through the daily preparations of making sure that the museum shines inside and out, work that she takes a tremendous amount of pride in.

She loves to hear people say, “It’s sooo clean!”

Her “lead-from-the-front” attitude comes from her core values of respect and encouragement, working in step with her small staff through every task and challenge. While the new cleaning protocols brought on by the pandemic could have been overwhelming, Sandra and her team took it in stride.

Not only did they work tirelessly to ensure that all who came had a safe, clean place to return to, they were there waiting with open arms, reassurance and a good dose of humor. Making people laugh is one of her favorite things to do and, in uncertain times, she made sure that everyone still was laughing while getting the job done.

If she seems at ease in the galleries and halls of the museum, you can be assured that she is.

Sandra, herself a painter and sketcher, has a true passion and love for art and museums. While she does find comfort in the routine of cleaning, she draws her inspiration from her family, travel and a strong curiosity for learning.

After 18 years with the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, she is thinking about the next phase of life and hopes it includes more of those things she loves. If you ask her what matters most today, she will tell you, “I like people to be happy when they come in.”

—Lee Ann Shelhorse, Talent Acquisition Manager Human Resources and Professional Development