Sandra Sarucia

Facilitator Fellow

Sandra is an educator and advocate with extensive years of experience in nonprofit and government leadership, committed to advancing equity for communities impacted by systemic injustice. Her career has spanned classrooms, nonprofits, and state government, including work at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to diversify the educator workforce and strengthen preparation for teachers serving low-income students, multilingual learners, students with special needs, and students of color.

She began her career as a Kindergarten teacher with Teach For America and went on to hold leadership roles at Ashoka and Avodah, where she focused on values-based leadership and inclusion. After experiencing a total mental breakdown, Sandra and her wife moved to the quiet corner of northeast Connecticut and founded The Farmette Sanctuary, a nonprofit that  provides a forever home for rescued farm animals and a healing space for the community. She is also a certified somatic embodiment practitioner, a leadership coach, and facilitator.

Born in Brazil to a Mexican mother and American father, Sandra brings a global perspective shaped by her upbringing across three countries and her experiences with education systems on five continents. She holds master’s degrees in Public Administration and in Education & Social Change.