Senior Director of Development & Alumni Relations
School of Public & International Affairs
Sarah Baines serves as the Senior Director of Development and Alumni Relations for the School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) at the University of Georgia. In this role, she advances SPIA’s mission by building meaningful relationships and increasing private support from individuals and organizations.
Sarah has more than 20 years of experience in development and alumni relations at the University of Georgia, where she has held positions with the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Law, and SPIA. She served as SPIA’s primary fundraiser from 2006–2013 and returned to the role in 2016. She works closely with alumni, donors, volunteers, faculty, students, and university partners to support the school’s priorities and initiatives.
She earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (B.S.A.) in Animal Science from the University of Georgia and a Master of Science (M.S.) in Ruminant Nutrition from Virginia Tech.
In recognition of her leadership and contributions to the university community, Sarah was selected to participate in the University of Georgia’s 2023–2024 Women’s Staff Leadership Institute. In 2026, she received the Division of Development and Alumni Relations’ DARing to Level Up Award for Impact, recognizing her exceptional contributions and commitment to the division’s pillars of leadership, collaboration, and impact.
