Sandra Marra

President & CEO

Prior to taking on the role of ATC President and CEO, Sandra “Sandi” Marra has taken on a wide range of roles in service of the Trail and the Conservancy. She has been an A.T. volunteer for over 40 years and is an Honorary Life Member of the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club. In addition, she is a life member of the Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association (ALDHA), a Founding Member of the Appalachian Trail Museum, and, in 2009, was the recipient of the Appalachian Scenic Trail 25-year Service Award. She and her husband maintain three miles of the Appalachian Trail in northern Virginia and are co-managers of PATC’s Blackburn Trail Center. 

Sandi was on the ATC Board of Managers from 1999-2005 and played a significant role in leading the organization through its transition from Conference to Conservancy. She was a member of the first ATC Stewardship Council, which was convened in 2005. She joined the Board of Directors in 2008 and has chaired both the Membership and Development Committee and the Strategic Directions Committee. Sandi served as ATC Chair since 2013 until taking on the role of President & CEO in 2019. 

Before joining ATC, Sandi led her own consulting firm, providing strategy and development services for nonprofits including strategic planning, board development and training, board-staff relations, and change-management support to boards and executive staff.  Her prior experience includes leading organizations in both executive staff and board roles. In 2015, she left her position as Chief Operating Officer of St. Coletta of Greater Washington, a large nonprofit organization supporting educational and service programs for developmentally disabled children and adults. During her 13-year tenure, the organization more than doubled in size, becoming one of the premier Special Education Public Charter Schools in the District of Columbia as well as offering adult services in both Virginia and Maryland. Prior to St. Coletta, Sandi worked for a variety of both nonprofit and private sector organizations providing strategic, operational and human resource management. 

Sandi now lives in Harpers Ferry with her husband, just a short walk from ATC Headquarters and the Appalachian Trail itself.