SANDRA BERTELLE began her pageantry experience as a color guard member in her high school band. She went on to receive a B.F.A. and an M.F.A. in Theater from USC, in Los Angeles . She trained with some of the top dance, vocal, and acting teachers in Los Angeles, as well as the renowned John Housmann from the Juilliard School in New York. She has directed and acted in theatrical productions both in the United States and at Scotland’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival. She continued her early involvement in pageantry by judging for Drum corps International, Fall Marching Bands and WGI as well as consulting for local winterguards.