Sandra Callies

Biography

Sandra (she/her) is an architect with 10+ years in the construction and design industry with experience on human needs projects for rural areas in Washington State and South Dakota. She is interested in designing buildings to relate to the context of the place. Respecting vernacular architecture and historic preservation are important to the community and will create a thriving environment to protect the “old neighborhoods” of our lives.

Thrilled to be engaged in the School of Design at SDSU, Sandra is passionate about using arts such as watercolors and writing to explore and realize how to better engage people of all classes. She has volunteered teaching drawing classes at facilities such as the South Dakota State Penitentiary and Mary's Place Shelter and Family Center in Seattle. Knowledge and skills of drawing can reunite a person with confidence and transform their spirit and morale, which is fundamental in helping someone recover from addiction, being unhoused and/or the dehumanizing life of incarceration. Art and design elevate everything!