Bio
In 2020, Wilton’s Board of Finance unanimously voted for Sandra Arkell to fill a vacancy. Sandy and her family moved to Wilton in 2017 after falling in love with its charm and scenic countryside.
As principal accounting officer and executive VP for MasterCard, she is responsible for ensuring the quality and integrity of the company’s financial statements and internal controls. Sandy began her career as a CPA in the audit and assurance practice of Pricewaterhouse Coopers after earning her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Penn State University, where she currently serves on the Accounting Advisory Board for the College of Business. Her 25-plus-year career includes financial leadership positions in accounting and finance, strategic planning, risk management, and mergers and acquisitions at several Fortune 500 companies.
Op-Ed
Collaboration and Transparency in Leadership
Friends and neighbors, I’m proud to call Wilton home. We are truly blessed to live in this charming, bucolic town, rich in resources, dependable town services, incredible schools, and the many, wonderful civic and philanthropic organizations that bind us together as a community.
I am running for election because I want to do all that I can to make sure that Wilton retains these benefits as it seeks to grow and attract new businesses and further invigorate our Town Center. At our Annual Town Meetings, I want to present voters with budgets that they can embrace, budgets that reflect our shared values.
I’m qualified to do that. As global head of accounting for Mastercard, I bring more than 25 years of experience in accounting and finance, almost entirely for Fortune 500 companies such as Wendy’s, Delphi, Sears and Pulte Homes. I began my career as a CPA for Pricewaterhouse Coopers after earning my bachelor’s degree in accounting from Penn State University, where I serve on the Accounting Advisory Board of the Smeal College of Business. I also serve on the board of the Women’s Business Development Council, a charitable organization supporting women entrepreneurs through financial education and other services, with the goal of creating and growing sustainable jobs and businesses across our state.
Amidst the pandemic last year, I volunteered to fill a vacancy on the Board of Finance and was, frankly, humbled by a bi-partisan and unanimous appointment. I’m proud of my leadership on the board, and my collaborative work with the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Education managing through the uncertainties and challenges the pandemic brought to the financial budgeting and planning process. Collaboration is key. We accomplished that with transparency, something I believe in and you deserve.
Navigating uncertainty underscores the importance of having qualified, well-informed boards managing our town and schools. I’m proud to be part of an incredibly qualified and talented slate of Democratic candidates, all of whom possess the subject-matter depth and experience in their fields so that they can serve our community professionally and build upon Wilton’s strong foundation to realize an even brighter future.