by Robyn McCloskey
Just recently I had the privilege of meeting and interviewing a truly remarkable woman: former Bucks County Commissioner, the Honorable Sandra A. Miller. We met for coffee in the morning and talked until she had to leave for a work related lunch meeting. But to tell you the truth, I could have spent the rest of the day listening to her speak about her life, her passions, her pastimes and her present day work. Sandra, or Sandy as she prefers to be called, is extremely approachable, open and just plain enjoyable. But make no mistake; she is one smart cookie who has very lofty ideals and strong opinions. She also has that all too rare ability to speak her mind while being considerate of the fact that not everyone might agree with her. She is reluctant to talk too much about herself and easily shares credit for her many accomplishments. And she is not one to hog the spotlight but if the spotlight is shone upon her she will handle it with grace and ease.
Sandy is the type of woman I personally envy, besides being professionally accomplished she appears so effortlessly put together. Hair is coiffed, make-up perfectly applied, sporting an outfit to suit the occasion not to mention the accentuating jewelry that puts the finishing touch on the perfect look, where as I happen to be one of those women who considers myself put together if I remember to apply chapstick that morning. While I know she would shrug this last comment off as unimportant, the truth is, Sandy Miller is the total package. She has enviably aged with grace, has kept her feminine attractiveness—but you know that when push comes to shove she can battle it out with the best of them and will not back down over a heated debate. Having made it in a “man’s world” Sandy is passionate about women’s issues yet never “man-bashes” in the process.
For those of you unfamiliar with the many accomplishments of Ms. Miller, her story starts right here in Bucks County of which she is proud of her lifelong residency. Sandy began her higher education at Bucks County Community College where she earned her associates degree; she then went on to graduate from Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science. In 1991 there was a vacancy on the Board of Commissioners of Bucks County and it was Sandy who was tapped to fill that void. When November rolled around Sandy was then elected to her first full four-year term. She was then re-elected in 1995, 1999 and then again in 2003. At the time she was the third female to hold that position in the history of the Board of Bucks County Commissioners. She must have been doing something right to have been elected 4 times in a row not to mention the fact that she holds the record for longest running term, nearly 17 consecutive years.