Rabbi Sandra Lawson was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and grew up in a military family. She graduated from Saint Leo University magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology. She also holds a Master of Arts degree in Sociology from Clark Atlanta University, and received ordination from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in June 2018. During her time in the military, Lawson specialized in Military Police Investigations, specializing in cases involving child abuse and domestic violence. Upon leaving the military she started a personal training business and later worked as an Adjunct Instructor of Sociology at local community colleges. She has also served as the Investigative Researcher for the Anti-Defamation League's Southeast Region, becoming the go-to person when law enforcement in the South needed information on hate groups. As a rabbinic student, Lawson started multiple programs to foster unaffiliated Jews’ involvement with the religion: She led shabbat services for unaffiliated Jews in a vegan cafe, and also received a grant to launch her podcast Minutes of Torah. Lawson’s vision as a Rabbi is to help build a more inclusive Jewish community where all are welcomed, diversity is embraced and everyone can come together to learn and to pray. She is currently serving as the Associate Chaplain for Jewish Life and Jewish Educator at Hillel at Elon University in North Carolina.