Sandra E. Braham, EdD

Sandra is President and CEO of Gulf Coast JFCS, a $49 million human social services agency with 550 employees. Under her leadership, the company has added $15 million in revenues. Program services cover child welfare, adoption, elder services, housing, behavioral health and workforce development. Additionally, services for Jewish family services, refugee resettlement and related services.

Prior to her role at Gulf Coast JFCS, Sandra served for 10 years as CEO of the largest YWCA in the country, in El Paso, Texas. She spent the first 17 years of her career in higher education, beginning as a recruiter for a two-year vocational technical college in Indiana, and ultimately reaching the level of associate vice provost at The University of Texas at El Paso. This at a time she noted God’s plan for her life and career to shift.

Sandra completed Leadership Texas, Leadership America and Harvard Business School’s Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management executive education program. She also completed a Jewish leadership course, which culminated in a 10-day trip to Israel. 

Sandra is currently the 2022 Board Chair of the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce and is the first African American female to serve in this role. She is also active with the national Network of Jewish Human Services Agencies, serving as co-chair for its DEI affinity group, co-chair of its national executives’ conference “PowerNET”. Sandra is also a member of the national DEI Committee. She has received numerous awards and honors. She loves to golf and was featured on a cover of African American Golf Digest Magazine, following an historic trip to Scotland.

Sandra has been married to her husband Eric for 27 years and they have three adult children. Her groundbreaking memoir, “An Angel for Detroit,” is scheduled to launch on 11-11-22, and is available for presale now.