Sandra brings over 15 years of international experience leading development programmes across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Europe. Her career spans the private sector, the United Nations, and the humanitarian sector, combining expertise in infrastructure delivery, climate resilience, and institutional strengthening through partnerships with governments, development banks, UN agencies, and academia.

Prior to joining CDRI, she spent nearly a decade with UNOPS in leadership roles supporting governments and development partners to deliver complex infrastructure and resilience programmes. This included heading programmes in Costa Rica and the Caribbean, leading Bangladesh’s National Resilience Programme, serving as Advisor at Headquarters in Denmark, and most recently leading UNOPS’ Surge Mechanism.

Sandra has also worked with Arup’s International Development team on urban resilience and sustainable infrastructure, with AECOM on water sector reform and infrastructure governance, and with Action Against Hunger leading emergency and recovery WASH programmes.

An aeronautical engineer by training, Sandra also holds a Master’s degree in International Development and Project Management and a certification in Sustainability Strategies from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).