Sandra Phillips was the Curator of Photography (1987-1999) and Senior Curator of Photography (1999-present (2016) at SFMOMA. Phillips was born and raised in New York City and was introduced to art at an early age through her parents' work in architecture. She received her master's degree in photography and began working at the Vassar College Art Gallery as the curator in the early 1980s. From there she contacted Jack Lane for an interview and received the Curator of Photography position in 1987. In this interview, Phillips discusses her New York roots, early work with photography, teaching at Mills, difficulty with photography at the SFMOMA, state of the collection, relationship with Jack Lane, accessions committee and trustees, South American photographers, memorable shows, SFMOMA exhibition spaces, discussion of sample photographs, Japanese photography and works by John Guttman, Robert Frank, Dorothea Lange, and Imogen Cunningham.