Marie Sandy

Marie Sandy is an Associate Professor and Co-Interim Director of the Educational Policy and Community Studies department at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (UWM). She holds affiliate roles in the Joseph Zilber School of Public Health, College of Nursing’s Master of Sustainable Peacebuilding program, and the Urban Studies Program within UWM’s College of Letters and Science. Her work bridges philosophical theory with applied research focused on urban low-income communities, health disparities, and grassroots social transformation.

• Key Roles: Academic leadership in education policy, community health, and public engaged scholarship.
• Affiliations: UWM’s Educational Policy & Community Studies, Joseph Zilber School of Public Health, and Urban Studies Program.

Her research emphasizes social determinants of health, community-based participatory action research (CBPAR), and overcoming family homelessness. She integrates feminist, liberal arts, and continental theories to inform equitable policy solutions. Current research strands include community health workers’ roles in crises, service-learning in digital contexts, and public engaged scholarship frameworks.

Publications highlight themes of education policy equity, pandemic response through grassroots health networks, and urban school desegregation. While no student advisees are listed, her pedagogy prioritizes service-learning and community-academic partnerships.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with national and local organizations (e.g., Wider Opportunities for Women) to co-design research addressing systemic inequalities. Active in community organizing and translational disaster research initiatives.