Professor Leonie Sandercock was educated at Forbes Primary School and Marion High School in Adelaide and graduated from the University of Adelaide with a BA (Hons). She also gained a PhD at the Australian National Univesity. Sandercock has worked in universities and with governments in the areas of public policy and urban planning. She has been a member of the editorial board of Overland and her interests extend to jazz music, Australian Rules football, and Australian art and literature.