Sarah Wilhelmi serves as the Senior Director of Collegiate Partnerships for the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and assumed the position in June 2016. Wilhelmi oversees initiatives and strategies related to USOPC collaboration within the collegiate landscape and is charged with supporting and aligning mutual interests among core stakeholders including, but not limited, to National Governing Bodies, NCAA, and higher education (e.g., institutions, conferences, coaching associations).

In Fall 2020, Wilhelmi convened the USOPC College Sports Sustainability Think Tank, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, to identify solutions to help sustain Olympic and Paralympic varsity programming within college athletics. This work resulted in strategic partnerships with the NCAA and NGBs to pilot sport-specific customization efforts to ensure sport stability and growth. In 2017, Wilhelmi launched the USOPC Collegiate Advisory Council, to engage collegiate leaders in driving shared priorities to support Team USA student-athletes. Together, the CAC and collegiate partnerships department have launched the Olympians and Paralympians Made Here campaigns to celebrate the collegiate contribution to the Olympic and Paralympic Movements and the pathway project to identify legislative changes to smoothen the experience for student-athletes competing for their school and their national team. Wilhelmi continues to develop and execute strategies aimed at supporting student-athletes, advocating for Olympic and Paralympic sports, and enhancing collegiate contributions to Team USA.

Wilhelmi was formally the Associate Commissioner for Governance and Institutional Services/Senior Woman Administrator at the West Coast Conference (WCC). In this role, she managed the 2014-17 Strategic Plan, governance structure, legislative process, compliance, academics, and student services. Wilhelmi was the sport administrator for women’s basketball and cross country and staff liaison to various executive level cabinets and administrative groups.

Prior to the WCC, Wilhelmi served as the Assistant Director of Compliance Services at Stanford University and handled interpretations, investigations, eligibility, and amateurism. Wilhelmi was also a NCAA Membership Services intern supporting interpretations, waivers, and the Olympic Sports Liaison Committee and the Student-Athlete Well-Being Task Force and an International Games intern for the United States Olympic Committee. Wilhelmi started as a Student Services Administrative Assistant at her alma mater, the University of Iowa, which is where she received her Bachelor's in business administration and earned a Master's in health and sport studies. Sarah and her husband Chris reside in Colorado with their two daughters, Audrey and Lucille Wilhelmi.