Meet Sandy
Keynote Speaker
Sandy is an award-winning teacher, coach, athlete, and inspirational speaker whose story reminds us that no dream is out of reach.
For 23 years, Sandy taught and coached young people while raising three children of her own. She is best known to millions as a nine-time competitor on NBC’s hit show American Ninja Warrior, where she made history by becoming the first mom ever to finish the course and hit the buzzer.
Sandy is a three-time FINA World Champion, a three-time UNAA World Champion, and a World Cup Champion — and she’s taken her message of strength and perseverance to audiences on The Kelly Clarkson Show, CNN, E! News, The Huffington Post, and Women’s Health.
In 2022, Sandy was inducted into the National Physical Education Teacher Hall of Fame. She’s also a TEDx speaker, a national judo champion, and a former Gonzaga University basketball player who still coaches today with the Spokane Warriors.
Through her book "Get Out of the Car" and her motivational talks around the country, Sandy inspires people of all ages to break through excuses and push past obstacles to achieve what once seemed impossible.