Her Story
About Tiffany
Tiffany Sanchez serves as a faculty member teaching leadership studies at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. She previously spent approximately 25 years in higher education student affairs leadership roles and two years in an executive role at a national nonprofit. Sanchez earned her bachelor's degree from the University of New Mexico, a master's degree in college student personnel from Bowling Green State University, and a Doctor of Education from the Peabody School of Education at Vanderbilt University. In her current position, she focuses on research in leadership, management, and social entrepreneurship while developing experiential classroom activities. During the pandemic, she led the student affairs response at a small to medium-sized university in Baltimore, overseeing the development of contact tracing and testing programs to safely return students to campus. Sanchez values connectedness and systems thinking, emphasizing environments with high trust, vulnerability, and psychological safety.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Tiffany
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Early in my career a friend told me that maybe the most important decision is that you don't have to decide right now. Nothing was urgent. Relaxing and stepping away helped develop clarity. Careers are not linear, they are a winding path. I didn't have to make all decisions quickly, could relax and gain perspective.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Leading authentically from a values standpoint is important. Determine what's really important to you. Not every job is right for every person. Be self-reflective about skills and abilities and how much you're willing to sacrifice. The pinnacle of success is utilizing skills in the best way regardless of title.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Opportunities include more time for research and publishing as a faculty member, impacting curriculum as Director of Undergraduate Affairs, writing chapters. Challenges include deciding whether to return to high-level leadership roles like VP or CEO with 12-15 years left in career, and finding time for research and writing.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I value connectedness and being a systems thinker. Important to be in environments where silos are broken down, with trust and vulnerability leading to real discussions. Combination of systems thinking with connectedness, high levels of trust and vulnerability, psychological safety to bring dissenting opinions.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.