Influential Women Features LaSandra Boykin: Corporate Social Impact Executive Building Stronger Communities
Jacksonville, Florida – LaSandra Boykin is a people-centered corporate social responsibility and community engagement leader whose career reflects adaptability, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to serving others. With more than 20 years of experience spanning the transportation and healthcare industries, LaSandra has built a reputation for creating meaningful partnerships, developing impactful initiatives, and helping organizations understand the importance of authentic community engagement.
Most recently, she served as Director of Community Investments and Vice President, CSX Foundation at CSX. LaSandra brings a unique perspective shaped by experiences across multiple industries, cultures, and communities. She often described her professional journey as “planes, trains, brains—and then back to trains,” representing her transition from Delta Air Lines to Norfolk Southern, healthcare leadership, and ultimately her return to transportation through CSX.
Her career began at Delta Air Lines, where she spent more than a decade developing expertise in corporate initiatives, employee engagement, and community partnerships. During her time with the company, LaSandra became deeply involved in connecting business strategy with community impact, eventually becoming one of the youngest employees to retire from Delta in 2020.
Following her time at Delta, LaSandra continued expanding her leadership experience through roles at Norfolk Southern and a Georgia-based healthcare organization before joining CSX. Across every organization, she has remained focused on one central belief: businesses create their greatest impact when they build genuine relationships with the communities they serve.
LaSandra’s leadership philosophy has been shaped by a lifelong commitment to learning, exploration, and understanding different perspectives. Throughout her career, she has traveled to 75 countries and participated in international leadership programs in locations including Israel and Georgia. These experiences have strengthened her ability to collaborate across cultures and recognize the importance of inclusive leadership.
She also spent time living in Zurich, Switzerland, where she helped establish operations for a growing technology solutions company. The experience broadened her global perspective and strengthened her ability to navigate change, build relationships, and contribute to organizational growth in new environments.
A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, LaSandra continues to invest in her professional development. Most recently, she earned an artificial intelligence certification from the University of North Florida and continues exploring emerging technologies and their impact on business and community engagement.
Beyond her professional responsibilities, LaSandra is developing her thought leadership through writing and speaking. She is currently working on a white paper and upcoming book centered around the concept of presence versus programs in community engagement—a philosophy focused on the importance of authentic relationships over short-term initiatives.
While LaSandra’s professional achievements are extensive, she credits her foundation to the values instilled by her parents, Benjamin and Carsandra. They taught her the importance of integrity, perseverance, respect, and hard work—principles that continue to guide her leadership approach today.
LaSandra’s father, the son of a sharecropper who grew up on a dirt road, went on to achieve success at the highest levels of corporate America before entering politics. Watching her parents overcome challenges and pursue excellence shaped LaSandra’s understanding of resilience and determination.
She also witnessed her mother’s strength while battling breast cancer, an experience that reinforced the importance of courage, perseverance, and never giving up. LaSandra describes her parents as fighters who showed her that success is not simply about achievement—it is about character, commitment, and how individuals treat others along the way.
Their lessons continue to influence her daily leadership style. LaSandra believes that when people consistently do the right thing, lead with honesty, and treat others with respect, they create a foundation for lasting success.
Throughout her career, LaSandra has benefited from mentors who challenged her, encouraged her growth, and helped shape her leadership philosophy.
One of her earliest mentors taught her a lesson that has stayed with her throughout her career: be early, not simply on time. After LaSandra arrived late to an event, her mentor explained that preparation means arriving 10 minutes early and being ready before the moment begins.
That advice became more than a lesson about punctuality—it became a philosophy about professionalism, preparation, and respect for others.
That same mentor later became her manager at Delta Air Lines and took a chance on LaSandra during a time when the company was not actively seeking candidates from outside the organization. His belief in her potential helped open doors and reinforced the importance of leaders who are willing to recognize and develop talent.
Today, LaSandra maintains what she describes as a personal board of directors—a trusted network of mentors, colleagues, and advisors who provide guidance, perspective, and support throughout different stages of her career.
She also believes strongly in leading from the bottom up. For LaSandra, leadership is not defined only by titles or positions. It is built through listening, learning from others, and valuing the contributions of every individual within an organization.
Many of the professional relationships she has built throughout her career remain strong today, demonstrating her belief that relationships are among the most valuable investments a leader can make.
One of LaSandra’s most powerful career lessons came from recognizing that opportunities are often created rather than discovered.
While working in catering operations at Delta Air Lines, LaSandra realized she wanted to pursue work more closely aligned with her passion for community engagement. Instead of waiting for a position to become available, she began building relationships throughout the organization and identifying where her skills could create value.
She developed a job description that represented the intersection of her passion and purpose and shared it with one of Delta’s Executive Vice Presidents. This leader recognized LaSandra’s potential, and eight months later, the role became an official internal position at Delta.
LaSandra applied and earned the opportunity.
For her, the experience demonstrates the importance of self-advocacy combined with preparation and results. She believes individuals must be willing to communicate their goals, demonstrate their abilities, and create value before opportunities arise.
She encourages young women entering the industry to identify where they can make a difference, seek mentorship, attend conferences, take on additional responsibilities, and continue building expertise.
Most importantly, she emphasizes kindness, integrity, and respect. She believes people never know where future opportunities may come from or how relationships built today may influence tomorrow.
As the field of corporate social responsibility continues to evolve, LaSandra believes organizations must rethink how they approach community impact.
When she entered the field more than 15 years ago, corporate social responsibility was still developing, and many companies focused primarily on creating programs or establishing foundations. While those efforts were valuable, LaSandra believes the future of community engagement requires deeper integration across organizations.
Today, she believes companies can no longer view community impact as the responsibility of a single department. Instead, executive leadership, communications teams, employees, and business units must work together to create meaningful and sustainable change.
One of the biggest challenges, she explains, is breaking down internal silos and shifting the perception that only certain teams are responsible for “doing good work.” Instead, she believes impact should become part of an organization’s identity and daily operations.
This belief is at the center of her work on presence versus programs.
For LaSandra, meaningful engagement is not about appearing at a community event once or launching a short-term initiative. It is about showing up consistently, listening to communities, building trust, and understanding the people affected by an organization’s decisions. Through her upcoming writing projects, she hopes to encourage leaders to consider not only what programs they create but also how they show up and build relationships.
Beyond her corporate responsibilities, LaSandra remains committed to giving back through service. She currently serves on the Board of Operation New Uniform in Jacksonville, Florida, supporting veterans and military spouses as they transition into civilian careers.
Her commitment to service reflects her broader belief that leadership is measured by the ability to create opportunities for others. Whether mentoring professionals, supporting communities, or building teams, LaSandra focuses on helping people recognize their potential and achieve their goals.
For LaSandra, relationships remain the foundation of both personal and professional success. She believes strong connections provide support, encouragement, and perspective during important moments throughout life and career.
She also believes in embracing work-life flexibility rather than pursuing a perfect balance. Different seasons require different priorities, and she believes success comes from being intentional about both professional commitments and personal relationships.
A lesson passed down from her mother continues to influence her perspective. Her mother once helped someone by regularly giving them rides to the train station. Years later, that individual remembered her kindness and reached out with a career opportunity.
To LaSandra, that story represents the lasting impact of treating people with kindness and respect. Every interaction matters, and individuals never know how their actions may positively influence someone else’s future.
When reflecting on her greatest accomplishment, LaSandra does not point to titles, awards, or milestones. Instead, she highlights the teams she has built, mentored, and supported throughout her career.
She continues to lead with authenticity, develop meaningful partnerships, and create lasting impact through her work in corporate responsibility and community engagement.
Outside of her professional commitments, LaSandra enjoys traveling, attending sporting events, and working toward earning her boating license. Yet her greatest passion remains helping others succeed.
Through her leadership, service, and dedication to meaningful engagement, LaSandra Boykin continues to demonstrate that true impact begins with people—and lasting change begins with showing up.
Learn More about LaSandra Boykin:
Through her Influential Women profile, https://influentialwomen.com/connect/LaSandra-Boykin
Influential Women
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