Sandra Best Bailly, MSW, LCSW is an accomplished educator, thought partner, and facilitator with 30 years of leadership and practice experience in public health, healthcare, and higher education. A clinically trained, licensed social worker in Massachusetts and certified Co-Active™ coach, Bailly has built and led diverse teams with cultural humility, fostering long-lasting organizational value. She holds a graduate certificate in project management from City University, a Master of Social Work from Simmons University, and a Bachelor of Arts in sociology and community health from Tufts University.
In her current role, Bailly oversees implicit curriculum development and career services for students at Simmons University’s School of Social Work, helping prepare students to excel in the competitive job market. This includes serving as a faculty facilitator for Interprofessional Education Programs, providing exam preparation and licensing insights and guidance and participating on the Assessment & Accreditation Committee.
As adjunct faculty, Bailly teaches two MSW program courses of social policy practice (SW403 and SW404) at Simmons School of Social Work.
Bailly also serves as an executive coach for Simmons University’s Institute for Inclusive Leadership and other organizations. Her coaching is grounded in deep values of authenticity, a growth mindset, and interdisciplinary collaboration to drive creativity and innovation.
Beyond academia, Bailly is deeply engaged in nonprofit leadership. She is the Board Chair at Community Resources for Justice, a Board Director at COMPASS Boston, and an Advisory Board Director at Medical Legal Partnership Boston (MLPB). Additionally, Bailly serves as President-Elect and Board Director for the National Association of Social Workers MA Chapter (NASWMA), where she advocates for the profession and helps shape its future. She is also a fellow of both the Executive Leadership Council (ELC) and the Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) at UMASS Boston.
Bailly’s early career as a medical social worker and infectious disease counselor laid the foundation for her lifelong commitment to health equity and global health initiatives. Prior to joining Simmons University, she held leadership roles in healthcare services, including seven years as Director at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, where she led strategic cost management initiatives and project management efforts. Her experience also spans nine years of corporate social work roles with Premera Blue Cross and Regence Blue Shield in Seattle, Washington.
A first-generation Boston native with proud Afro-Caribbean roots from Panama and Barbados, Bailly has raised a blended family with ties to Cote D’Ivoire, West Africa. She is the mother of an adult son and a passionate advocate for equity, inclusion, and social justice in all aspects of her work.
Sandra Bailly in the News
Sandra Best Bailly ’94MSW Named President-Elect of Massachusetts Chapter of National Association of Social Workers
The Massachusetts Chapter of NASW is one of the largest chapters in the country, with a mission to “advance professional social work practice throughout the Commonwealth and advocate for equity and justice for all people.”