Mala Sander, one of the top agents at The Corcoran Group, was honored for her incredible contributions to the arts and the Sag Harbor community at Bay Street Theater’s 2025 Gala last weekend.
The gala theme this year was “Honoring Icons of Impact: An Unforgettable Night of Fashion, Theater & Philanthropy,” and Sander’s achievements were celebrated along with Christie Brinkley and Donna Karan for their extraordinary contributions to the arts and the community.
“When I first came to the Hamptons, what’s now Bay Street Theater was actually a roller disco,” Sander shared. “It’s been amazing to watch it evolve into such a vibrant part of the community. I’m proud to have given back as much and as often as I could.”
She was recognized as the Philanthropic Honoree at the July 12 gala.
Sander has been part of Sag Harbor for more than 40 years and supported Bay Street Theater in the early days. Born in India and raised in the tri-state area, she began visiting the Hamptons in the 1980s when she met her husband, Jeff, whose parents had built a house in Sag Harbor in 1950. After their move to North Haven in 2000, she got involved with the theater, lending them her marketing expertise — she had a 20-year career in corporate leadership and marketing at IBM.
At Bay Street, she helped launch the “Business for Bay Street” initiative, which connected the theater with local Main Street businesses. She is now finishing her second term on the Board of Trustees.
Behind The Hedges is told it was actually through her work on the theater’s marketing committee, alongside friends David Bray and Peter Hallock, that she was encouraged to get her real estate license.
“In a way, I owe my career to Bay Street,” she said. “It feels great to give back to something that gave me so much.”
For more than two decades, Sander has been one of the most successful real estate agents on the East End, perennially earning top rankings for sales volume.
The actor and comedian Richard Kind, known for his roles as Dr. Mark Devanow in Mad About You and Paul Lassiter in Spin City, hosted the evening.
