Quick Facts
Biography
Sandra Deal (née Emilie Sandra Dunagan, born in Gainesville, Georgia) is an American education activist and former public school language arts teacher. As the wife of Georgia's current governor, Nathan Deal, she has been the First Lady of Georgia since 2011.
Education
The daughter of educators, Dunagan grew up in Gainesville, Georgia. She graduated from Georgia College & State University.
Career
Before becoming the first lady of Georgia, Dunagan taught language arts at public schools for over 15 years, and retired as a sixth-grade middle-school teacher in Hall County, Georgia. As Georgia's first lady, she is known for advocating for literacy and education throughout the state, for which the Georgia Association of Broadcasters awarded her their 2016 "Georgian of the Year" award. In 2015, her book Memories of the Mansion: The Story of Georgia’s Governor’s Mansion was published. In 2016, she served as the keynote speaker at Georgia Gwinnett College's summer commencement.
Personal life
Dunagan married Deal in 1966. She and Deal have four children: Jason, Mary Emily, Carrie, and Katie.