Sandra has an extensive background in nursing and in primary health care in developing countries as nurse-midwife, health educator and community development worker. Sandra spent two years the Sudan managing a primary health care and community development project.

At the University of Newcastle in 1995 Sandra completed her doctorate which explored the reconceptualisation of health education as education for health based on notions of empowerment and the liberatory pedagogy of Paulo Freire.

She commenced teaching with the Faculty of Education at the University of Newcastle in 1987 and has taught at the University of Canberra since 2002 in community education and community development. Sandra teaches the subjects Working with Communities, Ethical and Professional Issues and Community Development Principles and Practice.

Research interests

• Community education and development
• Social justice and human rights
• Professional ethics

Since 2010 Sandra has been deputy chief investigator on the Agricultural sector LInkages Project in Pakistan and Chief Investigator of a Land and Water rResources Project also in Pakistan funded by AICAR. In both projects adult learning strategies and collaborative problem solving methodologies have been used to enhance small farming community memebrs to improve livelihoods through new approaches to agriculutrual, irrigation and water management practices. Both projects have a focus on women and youth empowerment and educaiton as well as that of small landholing farmers.