Sandi Baker brings a rare blend of heart, operational insight, and community spirit to everything she does—and we’re thrilled to welcome her as the newest member of our Board of Directors.
Sandi grew up in Princeton, Minnesota, and now lives in Big Lake, where she raised her two sons. Her oldest, Chase, a UW-Eau Claire graduate, recently married and lives in Lino Lakes, and her youngest, Alex, serves in the the Army National Guard as a horizontal construction engineer with 851st EVCC and lives in Eau Claire, WI—she’s incredibly proud of her family.
Professionally, Sandi serves as the Vice President of Human Resources at Walters Recycling and Refuse, where she’s worked for over five years. She started as an HR manager and quickly rose through the ranks, driven by a deep commitment to serving both her coworkers and her community. She co-founded Walters’ Women of Waste initiative and has helped lead the company’s outreach efforts with organizations like Hope for Youth, Alexander House, and Stepping Stone.
Sandi’s passion for people is grounded in her belief that everyone deserves to be met where they are—with dignity and without judgment. “I’ve been in HR for over 20 years,” she says. “I always try to lead with heart and courage. My role is to care for the people who show up every day, to listen, and to find ways to support them.”
That same compassion guides her work on our board. Sandi hopes to help Stepping Stone bring greater awareness to the hidden realities of suburban homelessness and find innovative ways to support people before they fall through the cracks. She believes her operational background in HR and her “people-first” perspective can help guide thoughtful, balanced decisions that serve both individuals and the broader community.
And when she’s not leading with heart at work or on our board, you might find Sandi and her husband firing up the smoker as “Triple B—Baker’s Backyard Barbecue.” The two are active on the local barbecue contest circuit, using their culinary talents to raise money for nonprofits like the Zimmerman Legion, the Becker Boy Scouts, and Big Lake’s Yellow Ribbon organization. We’ve already got a few ideas cooking for how they might help us host a community BBQ event at the shelter!
Sandi says it best: “I want to make a difference for one more person. That’s my goal. If being on this board helps make someone feel worthy of a second chance—then that’s enough for me.”