Employee Spotlight:Meet Sara Sankar
Sara and her husband on a hiking adventure
At Salt Jacket Insurance, we believe that our people are our greatest asset. We’re not just a team, we’re a family, and we’re excited to introduce you to one of the amazing individuals who make our company so special.
Meet Sara Sankar, one of our dedicated insurance professionals who’s been making a difference for our clients, both in the office and in the community. From a love of outdoor adventures to a passion for helping others, Sara brings heart and energy to everything she does. In this latest edition of our Employee Spotlight series, we’re thrilled to share her story.
I’m a born-and-raised South Texan, and I’ve lived in the Houston area my entire life. While I love to travel, Houston will always be home to me. I’m an outdoors enthusiast, which is funny to my husband since I had never been camping or doing anything outdoorsy before we met. But now, it’s become my favorite type of vacation! I love hiking, camping, and floating the rivers. We enjoy it so much that we didn’t want to leave our dog, Sarge, out of the fun, so we taught him how to float the river with us! He’s also joined us on our hiking trips (though he’s not as fond of those as he is of the water) and we even upgraded to a bigger tent so he can always camp with us. We also have an orange tabby cat named Arthur. We found him abandoned in a ditch right after seeing the new Aquaman movie, so we decided to name him after the character.
I’ve always been motivated by the feeling of helping others. Before getting my insurance licenses, I worked in retail, and I often felt a longing to do something that made a real, lasting impact. I wanted to help people in a meaningful way. When I took the leap into a career in insurance, I was terrified—it was a totally new field for me—but it turned out to be the best decision I could have made.
The strong women who raised me and are in my life continue to inspire me. I’ve been incredibly moved by their persistence and motivation, especially considering the challenges they faced, particularly in times when it wasn’t as socially accepted for women to show such strength. I was raised by incredible women who taught me not only to be strong and persevere, but also to treat others with the kindness I would want to receive—a lesson that has served me well throughout my life.
During the holidays, our home has become the place where anyone can come if they don’t have anywhere else to go. People often ask why I spend so much time cooking for Thanksgiving and Christmas—it’s a lot of effort for just two people. But I know there could be someone we love who doesn’t have anywhere to be, and so all of our friends and family know that they are always welcome at our house. That’s something I’m really proud of.
My hero, without a doubt, is my mother. She joined the military during a time when women were just starting to be allowed to serve on ships. I can only imagine the challenges she faced, but she was so driven that nothing stopped her from pursuing her goals. Through all the trials and tribulations, she has always found the strength to persevere, take no flak from anyone, and yet never lose her kindness. She has always supported me in every endeavor and continues to be my biggest fan.
I also have a talent for baking and cooking without recipes. I can look at something and instinctively know how to recreate it. I never use measurements, and I rarely check the time or temperature when I’m baking—I just know what to do! Recently, I’ve started making our bread, butter, and yogurt from scratch, and I’ve even started making pizza at home too!
I believe my drive comes from a deep motivation to serve others and be the helping hand they need. Sometimes, I talk to clients on their best days—like when they’ve just bought their first car or finally purchased the home they’ve been dreaming about. Other times, I speak with clients on their worst days, when they’ve been in an accident or experienced a devastating loss at home. Regardless of the situation, I want to be there for them, offering support no matter what kind of day they’re having.
One memorable experience was when a client called me right after an accident. She was in shock and called me instead of emergency services. Hysterical and panicked, I stayed on the phone with her for over an hour, helping her calm down and get her breathing back to normal. I stayed with her while she called EMS and talked her through the initial shock, reassuring her that everything would be okay. I stayed on the phone until EMS arrived and made sure she was in their hands. She later reached out to thank me, and we’ve been good friends ever since.