Sandra was born in Durham, NC and grew up in Gary, IN. She graduated from Gary Roosevelt High School, received a B.A. degree in Political Science from Tufts University in Medford, MA and a Juris Doctorate degree from Indiana University, in Bloomington, IN. After graduating from law school, Sandra made Indianapolis her home for over thirty years where she specialized in law pertaining to Labor & Employment, EEO, ADA, Fair Housing, diversity and civil rights issues. Prior to working in private practice, Sandra was an attorney at Baker and Daniels, LLP, she was appointed by three governors as State Commissioner of Indiana Civil Rights, she served as chairperson of the Indiana Unemployment Insurance Review Board, and worked as an attorney at Indiana Legal Services, Inc. for many years.