Sandy Reihl

My career journey began as an education major in college, where I played volleyball on a full athletic scholarship and later coached Division III volleyball while pursuing my graduate degree. I earned my master's degree in agency counseling and worked as a therapist in a residential facility for children. During my graduate program, I did an internship with what was called the Department of Human Services in Michigan, which gave me early exposure to child welfare work. I also volunteered as a CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocate), doing similar work to the Department of Child Services but on a volunteer basis. A friend who worked for DCS suggested I join the agency, and I spent 26 years there. The majority of my time was in investigations, which I absolutely loved because it allowed me to work directly with children and families. I became a supervisor over investigations in three counties in northern Indiana. I also served as a regional supervisor in foster care, overseeing the foster care program in four counties. While I supervised these programs, my true passion was the hands-on, direct contact with families. I retired a little over two years ago so I could be with my grandchildren and help raise them instead of having them go to daycare.