Biography

After 31 years in government, Sandra R. Smoley, R.N., B.S.N moved to the private sector as a health care and local and state government consultant. Her company is the Sandy Smoley Group where she is President and CEO. Previous to this she was Secretary of the California Health and Welfare Agency where she managed an agency that employed over 42,000 employees and had a total budget of $48.4 billion. She oversaw 12 state departments and one board. She was also Secretary of the State and Consumer Services Agency where she managed an agency with 16,000 employees and a $700 million budget with 14 departments and 38 boards and bureaus. Both of these appointments were under Governor Pete Wilson. In 1972 she was elected to the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, the first woman ever to serve on that body. She served over 20 years on the Board. Smoley earned national recognition as a Presidential appointee to three major commissions:the Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (1983-1991), the Task Force on Food Assistance (1983-84), and the Advisory Commission on Federalism (1981-82). She represented county government at both the state and national capitols as President of the California State Association of Counties and the National Association of Counties. A registered nurse, Smoley received her degree in nursing from the University of Iowa. She is a graduate of the Senior Executive Training Program for State and Local Government at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government. She has also done graduate work in economics and management at California State University at Sacramento. In addition to her local and state government experience, Smoley is actively involved in Sacramento's local charities. Some of the organizations that benefit from her involvement include the Sacramento Philharmonic, Sacramento's Light Opera Association, Pride Industries, American Cancer Society and American Leadership Forum. She has received numerous awards for her charity work, including American Cancer Society Personal Courage Award, Big Brothers/Sisters, Honorary Big Sister Award, Sacramentan of the Year, United Way Distinguished Service Award, YWCA, Outstanding Woman Award, University of Iowa, College of Nursing, First Distinguished Alumni Award, and American Leadership Forum, Exemplary Leader. A native of Iowa, Smoley and her late husband, Walter W. Rohrer, have three children.