Debra A. Sandler

Chief Health and Wellbeing Officer for Mars, Incorporated Mars Chocolate North America

Debra A. Sandler is Chief Health and Wellbeing Officer for Mars, Incorporated.  Debra transitioned into this role on April 2, 2012. 

Prior to this appointment, Debra was Chief Consumer Officer of Mars Chocolate, North America, a role she has held since joining Mars in November, 2009. Debra’s responsibilities included leadership of the Marketing function as well as the cross-functional Business Management Teams (BMTs) for M&Ms, Filled Bar (Snickers, Twix, Milky Way and 3 Musketeers), Dove, the Seasonal business and all brand Innovation. Debra was also accountable for leading the work on the Health and Wellness platform and for driving Consumer Insights and Communications (internal, external and crisis) across the business, as well as accountable for two exciting startup businesses--Dove Chocolate Discoveries and My M&Ms.

Prior to Mars, Debra was the Worldwide President of McNeil Nutritionals, a division of Johnson & Johnson. Debra joined J&J in 1999 as Vice President of Marketing in charge of the launch of Splenda no calorie sweetener. Debra was a founding leader in building the Nutritionals Division into a profitable business unit within the Consumer Group of J&J. She was also the Co-Chairperson for the J&J Women’s Leadership Initiative, representing the views and needs of women across the globe within J&J.

Debra started her career at Pepsi- Cola and spent 13 years at PepsiCo in a number of Marketing leadership positions in the Beverage and Restaurant businesses.

Debra holds an undergraduate degree in International Business from Hofstra University, an MBA from NYU, Stern School of Business and an Honorary PhD from Long Island University.

Debra is a Trustee of Hofstra University, a Board member of the Ad Council and of LEAD, and a member of the Executive Leadership Council.

Debra has received many awards and acknowledgements amongst them:

2011 Fast Company Top 100 Most Creative People in Business (#23)

• Advertising Age Top 25 Marketer
• Black Enterprise Most Influential Women in Business
• Black Enterprise Person of the Year
• Network Journal Most Influential Women
• 100 Black Women Trailblazer Award (Long Island Chapter)

Debra was born in Venezuela and grew up in Trinidad and Tobago. She loves tennis, vacations on the beach and traveling around the world with her 14 year old daughter, Kiah.  Debra and Kiah recently relocated to NJ where they live with their three dogs, Ebony, Ivory, and Sommer. Debra is engaged to Derek Faria and is excited about becoming a step mother to Derek’s two sons Jarrod (26) and Kienan (24).