Sandra Kaye Mitchell-Woods was born to Robert and Elizabeth Kincaid Mitchell on Labor Day, September 6, in Knoxville, Tennessee. They had no idea that her being a firstborn was just the beginning of a series of firsts for her. With the passage of time, family and friends who knew her believed that she was born with the ability to impact people’s lives through versatility, community activism, charitable work, and, most importantly, teaching and guiding school children while fostering a high-achieving school culture.

Ms. Mitchell-Woods was one of the first black students to attend East High School after it was integrated in 1964. She became the first black student to deliver a commencement address at a predominantly white high school in Knoxville due to several positive factors, including her grades and speaking power. She and her husband moved to Iowa after studying at the University of Tennessee, where she earned a B.A. and an M.A. in Education from the University of Northern Iowa. These degrees were followed by a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS) and Ed. S. in Educational Leadership, as well as additional professional development in Educational Leadership at Harvard University. Even after doing so much, she wanted to enhance her knowledge and so Dr. Sandra Mitchell-Woods earned her Ed.D. at Trident International University.