Employee Spotlight Series

Angela Sontheimer

April 2026
Angela Sontheimer

Meet Angela Sontheimer, Executive Assistant in the President’s Office and Office of Diversity & Inclusion, a Gettysburg alum whose relationship with the College comes full circle through a career shaped by education, leadership development, and service.

Angela’s Gettysburg story began when she arrived on campus as a first-year student at 17. She entered in Fall 1986 and graduated in 1990 as an English major, immersing herself in campus life. She wrote for the student newspaper, participated in a sorority, and was part of the class that helped launch the Women’s Center. She was also deeply involved in the first-year orientation program—then entirely student-run—and after her sophomore year, Gettysburg became her year-round home. Through an internship with The Gettysburg Review and summer work in town, she spent every summer here, building ties to the campus and community that stayed with her long after graduation.


After college, Angela began her professional career in higher education as a development officer at Dickinson College, where she worked for ten years. Following the birth of her second daughter, she transitioned into a new chapter that would define much of her career: she spent roughly twenty years as the Chief Operations Officer of a company that designed experiential leadership development programs for corporate leaders, using history as a metaphor for navigating modern business challenges. During that time, she earned a Master’s of Leadership and Liberal Studies from Duquesne University, deepening her passion for leadership, learning, and organizational work. When the pandemic disrupted her field, Angela took an unexpected but purposeful turn—returning to school, becoming a paralegal, and working in that profession for two years before making her way back to Gettysburg College.


Angela joined the College in September 2024, encouraged by friends who pointed her toward an open position at a moment when she was ready for change. She began her role split between Diversity & Inclusion and Enrollment & Educational Services (including areas like admissions, financial aid, and athletics). In October 2025, she transitioned fully into her current work in the President’s Office, bringing with her a steady, behind-the-scenes focus on supporting people, processes, and key moments on the College calendar.

In the time she’s been back, Angela says one theme has stood out above all: community. She describes Gettysburg as a place with a strong, welcoming culture — one where colleagues become friends and where it’s easy to feel you’re part of something bigger than your job description. That sense of belonging matters to her, both for her own happiness at work and for the satisfaction of contributing to an institution she cares about.


Recently, Angela reached a major milestone in her role which was ensuring the February Board of Trustees meeting ran smoothly. As the person responsible for Board logistics on campus, it was her first time leading that process – something she approached with nerves, preparation, and a lot of attention to detail. Seeing it all come together successfully was a proud moment.

And now, she’s looking ahead to the next big campus-wide effort which is Commencement, a season filled with moving parts and meaningful celebrations, and one she’s eager to help support.


Angela also finds meaning in the ways Gettysburg recognizes and invests in its employees. She serves on the Support Staff Council and values programs like Employee Enrichment Day and Gettysburg’s Greatest, which build morale, celebrate contributions, and remind staff that the College cares about their growth and well-being—not only their work output.


Outside the office, Angela is an avid gardener. She’s the kind of person who starts spring early, planting seeds indoors in small cells under grow lights and watching them take shape while waiting for warmer weather. She’s also a proud mom of two grown daughters, and her family’s ties to Gettysburg run deep as her husband grew up here and teaches at the local high school. Their home is also happily busy thanks to three dogs, adding energy and humor to everyday life.


Whether coordinating major institutional events or building connections across campus, Angela Sontheimer brings thoughtfulness, experience, and a genuine love of community to her work—making her return to Gettysburg College feel less like a new beginning and more like a meaningful homecoming.


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