Sandra Ali to Give Keynote at 2025 Doorway Gala
The award-winning host of CBS News Mornings in Detroit, Sandra Ali, will serve as keynote speaker at MEP’s 19th Annual Doorway Gala on May 15 at Ford Field.
Sandra is a master storyteller who connects with viewers through her dynamic energy and compelling stories. Born in New York and rooted in Egyptian heritage, Sandra’s childhood was a blend of cultures, giving her a global perspective that shines in her reporting.
A graduate of Syracuse University’s prestigious S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, she combines academic excellence with a natural gift for connecting with audiences.
Sandra’s career journey is as inspiring as the stories she covers. She began at the CBS affiliate in Altoona, Pennsylvania before quickly making her mark at Detroit’s Fox 2 News, where she earned the Associated Press award for Best Hard News Reporter in 2002.
After anchoring in Cincinnati, she returned to Detroit and spent 13 remarkable years at WDIV-TV, becoming one of the city’s most trusted voices. Sandra anchored top-rated evening and nightly newscasts, covering everything from groundbreaking local stories to national tragedies like the Uvalde and Parkland school shootings. Her ability to deliver breaking news with clarity and compassion cemented her status as a household name in Metro Detroit.
Sandra also brought viewers exclusive interviews with some of the world’s most influential figures, including Colin Powell, Queen Rania of Jordan, and Ehud Barak
Sandra’s story doesn’t end when the cameras stop rolling. A proud mom of four, she embraces life with unstoppable energy. From completing multiple half marathons in Detroit and New York to setting new fitness goals for 2025, Sandra is always chasing the next challenge. She’s not just a journalist—she’s a community role model, an advocate for resilience, and a believer in the power of stories to inspire change.
Whether she’s on-air or off, Sandra Ali is proof that passion, hard work, and heart can make a difference every day.
Tickets for this year’s Doorway Gala are $150 and are available here.