For Hannah Windsor, part of San Marco’s charm is the way it reminds her of her European upbringing.
“It feels like a European village with a Floridian soul,” said Hannah.
Originally from Kent, England, and raised in Madrid, Spain, Hannah’s life has been shaped by international experiences. In addition to England and Spain, she’s lived in Sardinia, Italy and Nairobi, Kenya. She is fluent in English, Castilian Spanish, Italian and Swahili, and has set a goal to achieve fluency in French within the next two years.
Her mother worked as a doctor for NGOs, including Doctors Without Borders, meaning Hannah traveled frequently growing up.
“She elected to go to tiny little villages and build clinics from the ground up, where the first clinic was a mud hut,” recalled Hannah. “She’s always had that spirit of giving and using anything she had to give back.”
Hannah credits her upbringing for instilling in her a spirit of service that still drives her today. She’s the president-elect of the Rotary Club of San Marco, vice president of chapter engagement and inclusion for the National Charity League Jacksonville Chapter and a former board member of the Jericho School for Autism.
“I don’t know if I would be anyone without constantly looking for ways to give back. That is what drives me,” Hannah said.
Before settling in Jacksonville, Hannah lived in Pennsylvania, California and Connecticut. Her journey to San Marco began with a visit to a friend living in Atlantic Beach.
“Once I went back to Connecticut, I said to my family, ‘I don’t know what we’re doing here. There’s this beautiful place that I went to – Jacksonville, Florida. I’ve never heard of it, but that is where we should be,’” explained Hannah.
Hannah traded icy winters for Florida sunshine, moving to Jacksonville Beach. After several years living at the beach, she happened to see a notice in the newspaper about a vintage car show in San Marco and decided to take her family. It was her first time visiting the neighborhood, but it reminded her strongly of Europe and home. She soon moved to San Marco and has been here six years now.
A member of the San Marco Merchants’ Association, Hannah loves supporting local businesses. Some of her favorite local spots are Gemma’s, Bitty & Beau’s for coffee, V Pizza and Sidecar, and the small plaza next to Mayday Ice Cream.
Around the same time, she moved to San Marco, Hannah fulfilled her dream of becoming a full-time realtor. She is fascinated with architecture and home design and enjoys hosting and attending open houses to admire beautiful homes. She specializes in historic districts like San Marco, Riverside and Avondale, as well as luxury markets like Ponte Vedra.
Before real estate, Hannah’s career included roles as a certified sommelier, a fine-dining caterer and a teacher. She also spent time as a stay-at-home mom, raising her son Max, who is autistic. Her “lively” teenage daughter, Julia, enjoys rugby and golf. Hannah met her husband, David, in California; an Emmy Award-winning journalist, he’s originally from Spain and worked at ESPN in Connecticut before they relocated.
In her free time, Hannah enjoys gardening, hosting tea parties and traveling. She also contributes to Jacksonville Mom, writing from the heart about culture and community.
