Lynn A. Sandstedt is a native of Colorado and a Ph.D. graduate in Spanish Language and Literature from the University of Colorado, Boulder. He taught at the University of Northern Colorado for 22 years and served as Chairman of the Foreign Language Department and the Department of Hispanic Studies. He was elected to serve on ACTFL Executive and later was elected to serve as president. He was elected president of the AATSP and several years later was selected to be the executive director. Sandstedt has received several prestigious awards for his work in Foreign Language Education.