Friday Feature: Tamara Williams

Nurse in a new role
Tamara's story

Your name: Tamara Williams

Your role at Volunteers of America Michigan: Employment Specialist with the Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) Program.

What brought you to this position? A little over a year ago, I was working in the medical field and wanted something different. I was looking for a position that would allow me to help those in need and still utilize my background in the healthcare industry.

What is your biggest takeaway from working with Volunteers of America Michigan? Everyone has a story, and they want to tell it. When we come into the picture, people still have many chapters left to write and I feel honored to get to be a part of the new chapter.

What is your biggest challenge in this position? As an Employment Specialist, we take on a lot. Sometimes it feels like we do so much and we forget to take care of ourselves. So, finding the time to balance my work life and my home life can be quite challenging. However, I am getting better at establishing a decent work/life balance.

Where is your dream vacation spot? A tour of Italy or South America.

What is your favorite book? I have so many favorites, because I love to read. However, I will always love “The Color Purple” by Alice Walker.

How do you spend your time outside of the office? I love cooking, so I have been taking classes to get better and to learn how to make my traditional southern meals a bit healthier. I volunteer with my church with the youth group, and doing youth counseling. I am also trying to find new ways of being active, so I just started Crossfit and that is going well. As if I don’t have enough going on, I also like to pick up contract work in the medical field. I volunteer to administer vaccines with flu clinics, as well as perform blood pressure screenings and educating people on diabetes and other chronic conditions.