Sandy Lerner

Sandra "Sandy" Lerner was a co-founder of Cisco Systems. After leaving Cisco, she founded Urban Decay cosmetics and is an advocate of animal welfare.

Lerner received her bachelor's degree in 1975 in political science from California State University, Chico, a master's degree in econometrics in 1977 from the Claremont Graduate School, and a master's degree in statistics and computer science in 1981 from Stanford University.

In 1984, she co-founded Cisco Systems with her then boyfriend, and now ex-husband, Len Bosack, while working as Director of Computer Facilities for the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

Lerner and Bosack brought in John Morgridge to be the third CEO of Cisco in 1988. On August 28, 1990, Lerner was fired; upon hearing the news, Bosack resigned to show his support for her. The two sold all of their founder's stock and retired from Cisco.

Sandy placed a portion of her stock earnings into a start-up venture capital limited partnership called "& Capital Partners." Among the ventures funded was a new cosmetics company called Urban Decay Cosmetics, with the tag line "does pink make you puke?" The makeup line is cruelty-free. In February 2000, Moet-Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH), the French luxury goods conglomerate acquired the firm. It was spun off from LVMH in December 2002.

Lerner is now involved in a number of high-tech and philanthropic activities. In 1992, through the foundation she shares with Leonard Bosack, she invested money into the restoration of the manor house owned by Jane Austen's brother, Edward Austen Knight, Chawton House, making it a center for the study of English women's writing.

She moved to Virginia and bought Ayrshire Farm, a 42-room Edwardian-style mansion built in 1912. Ayrshire Farm's mission is to farm sustainably and profitably, promoting the benefits of locally produced, humanely-raised meats and organic produce to the consumer, the community, and children through education, outreach and example. The farm sells its products online and locally.

In November 2011, she published a sequel to Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" titled "Second Impressions" using the pen name of Ava Farmer (for A Virginia farmer); she plans to make it into a movie.

Lerner was featured in the documentary film "Something Ventured," which premiered in 2011.

Lerner received honorary doctorates from Washington and Jefferson College, Goucher College University of Southampton in England and Shenandoah University.