Sara Watkins
Strategic planning, marketing, and human resource expertise is central to Sara’s ability to drive success. She has over ten years of experience at Sandy Spring Bank as Executive Vice President, with leadership of the Corporate Services Group consisting of the following divisions: Marketing, Human Resources and Organizational Development, Corporate Security and Contingency Planning, and Property Management.
Ms. Watkins is currently serving on the board of MedStar Health, Inc., a $3.8 billion non-profit, regional healthcare system headquartered in Maryland. MedStar is one of the region's largest employers, with more than 26,000 employees and 5,600 affiliated physicians. Ms. Watkins serves as Chair of the Investment Committee and Vice-Chair of the Audit & Compliance Committee. Additionally, she serves on the Quality & Patient Safety Committee.
For two years, Ms. Watkins was the Chair of the Board of Montgomery General Hospital, a 165-bed, not-for-profit hospital in Maryland. Sheled the hospital board through a strategic planning practice and the complex decision making process that resulted in the partnership with MedStar.
As Executive Vice President, Corporate Services Group for Sandy Spring Bank, a community bank headquartered in Maryland with 42 branches and $3.5 billion in assets, she was a member of the Executive Leadership Team. She was actively involved in board meetings and retreats where long term strategy was established. Ms. Watkins led a team of senior managers responsible for the following key divisions: Marketing, Human Resources & Organizational Development, Corporate Security & Contingency Planning, and Property Management. For these divisions, she had responsibility for a budget of $22 million. She led the bank in developing a well defined brand, resulting in a consistent marketing message both internally and externally. Ms. Watkins retained over 90% of top talent by establishing an organizational development plan and using a 360 degree feedback process for senior and middle management.
Earlier in her career at Sandy Spring Bank, Ms. Watkins was Senior Vice President, Strategic Planning & Marketing. She led all aspects of the corporate strategic planning process with the board, executives, and senior management-- including development of the process, results tracking, implementation, and internal communication. Ms. Watkins managed the Marketing Division which included brand management, advertising, research, product development, sales support, and public relations.
Ms. Watkins serves on the faculty of the American Bankers Associations Stonier National Graduate School of Banking and the School of Bank Marketing and Management. A sought-after speaker, she has frequently provided well-received marketing and leadership presentations at forums, conferences, and institutions throughout the US and the Middle East.
Ms. Watkins has served the Maryland Performance Excellence Awards program for the past ten years in a variety of capacities, including lead examiner and team mentor. This program is a state-wide continuous improvement program affiliated with the Baldrige National Quality Program and the Alliance for Performance Excellence Awards.
Ms. Watkins graduated from Hood College with a BA in Human Resource Management. She completed the Strategic Human Resource Program at Harvard Business School. Ms. Watkins earned and has maintained the designation of Certified Financial Marketing Professional (CFMP). She is a graduate of Leadership Montgomery. She is a graduate of the Boardroom Bound® Boardology™ Coaching program and profiled in the group’s National Director-Candidate Database©.
