US citizen with Swiss parents, grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado and went to the University of New Hampshire for her bachelor degree in Exercise Science. Moved to Switzerland in 2002 to prepare for WOC 2003 and moved indefinitely in 2004. Completed a Master's degree in Elite sports and coaching at the Federal Institute for sports, Magglingen, Switzerland and also worked there in performance testing of elite endurance athletes for 10 years. Married to Marc Lauenstein (long time elite orienteer) and lives with their two children, Matti born in 2013 and Lena born in March 2015 in Cormondrèche, Switzerland. Sandra has competed for the US in 10 different WOC's including WOC in Scotland in 1999 at age 18.