As the Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Infrastructure, Ms. Sands was responsible for U.S. and overseas basing issues, joint basing program oversight, real property accountability, Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration, Siting Clearing House activities, real estate policy, and Base Realignment and Closure activities.

Ms. Sands began her civilian career in 1997 with the U.S. Army’s Morale, Welfare, and Recreation command.  During her tenure she served as Chief of Plans and Policy for the Army Lodging program where she developed and institutionalized a performance measurement program and a hospitality management education program in partnership with The Pennsylvania State University.  Ms. Sands was selected in 2004 as the first Director for the Army’s lodging privatization program under the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Privatization and Partnerships.  She later became Deputy for the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army, Energy and Partnerships, where she was responsible for oversight of privatization and partnership programs and was the organization’s certified Lean Six Sigma practitioner.    

Following her tenure with the Army, Ms. Sands transitioned to the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s Basing Directorate where she served as an Assistant Director.  Ms. Sands had primary responsibility for installation issues associated with global defense posture management and served as the organization’s primary representative on the Department’s Global Posture Executive Council.  She also assumed responsibility for managing the Contingency Basing Executive Council, developing policy and management guidance for DoD’s temporary overseas posture.

Ms. Sands spent twelve years on active duty as an Air Defense officer after being commissioned in 1985 as a Distinguished Military Graduate through the Reserve Officer Training Corps.  She is a graduate of Airborne School, the Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, and the Combined Arms Services Staff School.  During her active duty career Ms. Sands commanded two Air Defense Artillery Batteries in addition to positions as Platoon Leader, Battery Executive Officer, Battalion Adjutant, Officer Basic Course Instructor, Brigade Adjutant, and Secretary of the General Staff for the Army’s Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Command.

Ms. Sands is a 1985 graduate of Santa Clara University in California with a Bachelors Degree in Political Science.  She resides in Alexandria, Virginia with her husband.