Sandra Pianalto

President
Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland

Sandra Pianalto took office on February 1, 2003, as the tenth chief executive of the Fourth District Federal Reserve Bank, at Cleveland. In 2013, she serves as an alternate voting member of the Federal Open Market Committee.

Ms. Pianalto was born in August 1954 in Valli del Pasubio, Italy. She earned a bachelor's degree in economics from The University of Akron and an MA in economics from The George Washington University. She is a graduate of the Advanced Management Program at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business and holds honorary doctor of humane letters degrees from the University of Akron, Baldwin-Wallace College, Kent State University, Ursuline College, and Notre Dame College. Ms. Pianalto also received an honorary doctor of business administration degree from Cleveland State University and an honorary doctor of laws degree from John Carroll University.

Ms. Pianalto joined the Bank in 1983 as an economist in the Research Department. She was appointed assistant vice president of public affairs in 1984, vice president and secretary to the board of directors in 1988, and first vice president and chief operating officer in 1993. She assumed her position as president in 2003. Before joining the Bank, Ms. Pianalto was an economist at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and served on the staff of the Budget Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Ms. Pianalto is active in the Fourth Federal Reserve District's civic community. She is vice chair of the board of University Hospitals and serves as a past chair and a life director of the board of United Way of Greater Cleveland. Ms. Pianalto also serves as an advisory trustee for The University of Akron. She serves on the boards of a number of other community organizations, including The Cleveland Foundation, Greater Cleveland Partnership, Team Northeast Ohio (Team NEO), College Now Greater Cleveland, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.