Sandra Purington

CAP

Sandra Purington, CAP, is an award-winning administrative professional, mentor, leader, and a dedicated advocate for the administrative profession. As the senior administrative assistant, Sandra supports the director, three coordinating directors and the faculty of the School of Writing, Rhetoric, and Technical Communication at James Madison University (JMU).

Currently, Sandra co-chairs the College of Arts and Letters Staff Advisory Committee, where she also oversees the college’s admin mentorship program. She is also a member of the Academic Affairs Staff Advisory Council, and the JMU Employees Advisory Committee. Outside of JMU, Sandra is a member of International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP), where she is also the branch director of the Central Virginia Branch. She also serves the Admin Awards as a board member for the Washington, DC and Mid-Atlantic Region.

In her 25+ years at JMU, Sandra has earned multiple administrative professional and leadership certifications, including completing both the Administrative Assistant Certificate Program (AACP) and Advanced AACP, as well as completing the Leader Practices and ASCENT Leadership programs, and in 2023, she earned her CAP (Certified Administrative Professional) from IAAP. She has also been recognized for her outstanding and exceptional service to the College of Arts and Letters, received the Provost Award for Administrative Excellence, and in 2024, she was honored with the Loyalty Award at the Washington, DC and Mid-Atlantic Region Admin Awards.

Outside of work, Sandra enjoys reading, baking, spending time with her friends and family (including her soon-to-be first great-grandchild!), and taking unplanned road trips and traveling with her husband.