Sandra Rodriguez-McMasters for Goshen Council At-Large

Twenty-five year Goshen resident Sandra Rodriguez-McMasters is running for a Goshen City Council at-large seat. 

“When I arrived in Goshen, I was embraced by the community,” Rodriguez-McMasters said. “I am proud to announce my candidacy for at-large councilwoman and hope to serve everyone by representing this community with integrity.”

Rodriguez-McMasters now lives in Goshen with her husband Matthew McMasters and daughters, Suzette Rodriguez (24) and Shadai McMasters (19), both graduates of Goshen High School. Suzette graduated from Goshen College this year where Shadai is currently attending as a freshman.

When Rodriguez-McMasters moved to Goshen in 1998 from Mexico, she worked long hours in manufacturing while serving in various ministries in her church. With a strong commitment to her community, she used her leadership skills to serve on the Goshen City Community Relations Commission in 2014 and 2015. She was also involved in the Rieth Park Neighborhood Association as vice-president and president. 

In 2019, Rodriguez-McMasters graduated from Goshen College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work. In 2022, she went on to graduate from Loyola University Chicago with a Bilingual Master’s Degree focused on serving immigrants and refugees. Rodriguez-McMasters currently works as a Child and Adolescent Therapist at Oaklawn Psychiatric Center in Goshen and is a member of the Latino Advisory Council at Goshen College.

Rodriguez-McMasters believes that her social work education and her experience in working with the most vulnerable individuals and families in the community have created in her a sense of responsibility to continue serving them.

“I believe that my Catholic upbringing, my present church affiliation (North Goshen Mennonite Church), my strong connection with young adults, and being part of the Latino Community enable me to achieve my goal of bringing different cultures and perspectives together to make life better for all,” she said.

Rodriguez-McMasters’s priorities include:

• Representing the diverse voices and backgrounds in the community 
• Increasing housing to meet the needs of Goshen’s residents, schools, and local businesses
• Collaborating with the Redevelopment Commission to improve infrastructure
• Supporting our schools by working closely with youth liaisons to the city council, boards, and commissions
• Creating more opportunities for local manufacturers and small businesses
• Promoting the ongoing work to reduce the city’s carbon footprint

Just as she was embraced by the community upon her arrival to Goshen, Rodriguez-McMasters is running with the full support of fellow community leaders.

“I am proud to have the support of my colleague and mentor Gilberto Perez, the first Latino to serve on the Goshen City Council, as well as Julia King, the first City Councilwoman At-Large,” Rodriguez-McMasters said. “I deeply appreciate the opportunity to represent the Goshen community as an At-Large Councilwoman and ask for your vote in the coming election.”