Welcome back to Voice for Infection Prevention! I'm your host, Jacob Hutcherson, and today I’m joined by Sarah Wilkerson, whose career path proves that unexpected opportunities can lead to incredible growth.

Sarah started as a veterinary technician before moving into nursing education, planning to become a nurse educator. But when she was unexpectedly offered an Infection Prevention role, she jumped in—and never looked back. Now, she oversees Infection Prevention across 52 facilities, spanning acute care, ambulatory, and rehab settings.

In this conversation, we discuss her career progression, the importance of mentorship, and how diverse backgrounds strengthen Infection Prevention teams. She also shares her experience stepping into system-wide leadership just as COVID-19 hit, and how she advocates for staffing and resources.

If you’re looking for insights on career growth, leadership, and the evolving role of Infection Preventionists, you won’t want to miss this one!

Let’s jump in.