Sandra Pumani Australian, Yankunytjatjara, b. 1974

Sandra Pumani was born in Alice Springs in 1974. She was raised in Mimili community by her mother, respected artist and community leader Ngupulya Pumani and her grandparents, renowned artist and Elder Milatjari Pumani and her husband Sam. Sandra attended school in Mimili, and briefly attended boarding school in Adelaide before returning to her community to be with her family. Sandra worked at Mimili Store and Mimili Clinic for many years. Her daughter Adele was born in Alice Springs in 1993 and they subsequently lived in Alice for a period before returning to Mimili in 2004.

Sandra has held respected leadership positions in her community since 2004 and is known for championing education initiatives for Anangu children. Sandra was the chairperson of Mimili community for four years from 2004-8 and has worked in education as the Anangu Coordinator at Mimili School for over 10 years. Sandra moved to Adelaide in 2016 and worked as the Aboriginal Education Engagement Officer at the WalkAlong Initiative, a position she held until 2022. Sandra began painting at APY Studio Adelaide in 2022 and is a director of the APY Art Centre Collective and is a member of the APY Studio Adelaide Steering Committee.