Sandy Lerner facts for kids

Sandy Lerner (born 1955) is an American businesswoman and a generous helper of good causes. She is famous for co-founding Cisco Systems, a big technology company. After selling her part of Cisco, she used the money to support animal welfare (helping animals) and women's writing.

Sandy lives in Virginia, USA, where she owns a farm called Ayrshire Farm. She spends her time helping Chawton House Library in England and supporting animal welfare groups around the world.

Sandy Lerner's Early Life and Education

Sandy Lerner grew up in northern California.

She went to college and earned several degrees. In 1975, she received her first degree in political science from California State University, Chico. Later, in 1977, she earned a master's degree in a field called econometrics, which uses math to study economics, from the Claremont Graduate School. In 1981, she received another master's degree in computer science from Stanford University.

Starting Cisco Systems

In 1984, Sandy Lerner helped start Cisco Systems with her partner, Len Bosack. At the time, Sandy was working at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

Sandy and Len worked with students and teachers at Stanford. Their goal was to connect all the different computer systems at the school. They took software used at Stanford and turned it into the main technology for Cisco. This technology helped computers talk to each other, even if they were far apart.

Sandy has shared stories about how Cisco began. In the early days, they built computer parts called "routers" right in their living room. They even used credit cards to help pay for the business. She always said that many people worked together to make Cisco successful.

In 1988, John Morgridge became the new CEO of Cisco. On August 28, 1990, Sandy Lerner was asked to leave the company. When Len Bosack heard this, he also resigned to support her. They both sold their shares in Cisco for $170 million and left the company.

Other Business Ventures

After Cisco, Sandy Lerner started other interesting projects.

Ayrshire Farm: Sustainable Farming

In 1996, Sandy bought Ayrshire Farm, a large 600-acre estate in Upperville, Virginia. The farm has a beautiful old mansion built around 1912. Sandy restored the mansion and used it for many events.

Ayrshire Farm's main goal is to farm in a way that is good for the environment and also makes money. They want to show people the benefits of eating local, humanely raised meats and organic fruits and vegetables. The farm also teaches children and the community about these important ideas. Ayrshire Farm was the first farm in Virginia to meet both "Certified Humane" (meaning animals are treated well) and "Certified Organic" (meaning no harmful chemicals are used) standards.

Urban Decay Cosmetics

Sandy also invested in a company called "& Capital Partners." This company helped fund Urban Decay Cosmetics. Urban Decay became known for its unique makeup, with a fun slogan that asked, "does pink make you puke?" In 2000, a big French luxury company bought Urban Decay. Later, in 2002, Urban Decay became an independent company again.

Sandy also owns Hunter's Head Tavern in Upperville, Virginia, and Gentle Harvest in Marshall, Virginia.

Helping Others Through Art and Charity

Sandy Lerner has used her wealth to support many artistic and charitable causes.

Chawton House: Supporting Women Writers

In 1992, Sandy and Leonard Bosack's foundation invested money to restore Chawton House in England. This historic house was once owned by Jane Austen's brother. In 2003, it opened as a special center for studying books written by women between 1600 and 1830. Sandy left the board of trustees and stopped her financial support in 2016.

Books by Sandy Lerner

In November 2011, Sandy Lerner published a sequel to Jane Austen's famous book, Pride and Prejudice. Her book was called Second Impressions, and she used the pen name Ava Farmer. In August 2017, Sandy released Caticons, a book of art inspired by cats. A cat news website called The Purrington Post said it was a "Must have" for cat lovers.

In September 2023, Sandy Lerner wrote the introduction for a book called Founder vs Investor: The Honest Truth About Venture Capital From Startup To IPO. This book talks about the challenges in relationships between people who invest in new companies and the people who start those companies.

Awards and Recognition

Sandy Lerner has received many awards for her work.

In 2005, she received an honorary degree from Southampton University. In 2012, she received another honorary degree, a Doctor of Sciences, from California State University, Chico.

In 2009, a group called the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Computer Society honored Sandy Lerner and Leonard Bosack. They received the Computer Entrepreneur Award for starting Cisco Systems and helping to create and sell routing technology. This technology changed the computer industry a lot.

Sandy was also featured in two documentaries: Nerds 2.0.1 in 1998 and Something Ventured in 2011.

In November 2014, Sandy Lerner received the Pioneer Award for her important work in technology. This award was given by Women's Entrepreneurship Day.

In 2015, Sandy Lerner was given an honorary OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) by the Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire in the UK. This award recognized her contributions to British culture, and the ceremony was held at Chawton House.