As a full time legislator, Sandy serves on a variety of committees including Elementary and Secondary Education (Minority Spokesperson), Elementary and Secondary Appropriations, Consumer Protection, Accountability & Administrative Review, Small Business Empowerment and Workforce Development, Housing, and Tollway Oversight. Some of the committees she has been appointed to are the Legislative Audit Commission, the Special Education Funding Task Force, and the Workforce Development Board. Much of her legislation has focused on education, social security protection, and consumer protection, identity theft, affordable housing, health awareness, children’s health insurance and environmental issues.

Representative Pihos was given the Philip J. Rock Center and School Meritorious Service Award, the Illinois Coalition of Community Blood Centers Representative of the Year Award and has been recognized as Woman of the Year by The United Hellenic Voters. She has also been given the Legislator of the Year Award, by several organizations including the Illinois Optometric Association, the Illinois School Counselor Association, the Illinois Association of School Administrators, the DuPage Housing Action Coalition, the Housing Action Illinois Golden Trowel Award, the Ray Graham Association, the Western DuPage Special Recreation Association, the Illinois Association of School Social Workers, and the Northeastern DuPage Special Recreation Association. She has received the Guardian of Small Business Award, the Partners in Quality Award for her dedication to the advancement of quality in older adult services, the DuPage Center for Independent Living Spirit of ADA award, the Illinois Farm Bureau Activator award, the American Cancer Society Regional Advocacy Partner Award and the Illinois Environmental Council Award.

She is the former co-chair of The Conference of Women Legislators and the current Illinois State Director of Women in Government and current co-chair of the NEW Leadership Program to hone the leadership skills of young women and the co-founder of the Illinois Alzheimer Legislators Alliance. Sandy serves on several boards including Giant Steps Illinois, Partnership for Educational Progress Foundation, Family Shelter Service, DuPage Regional Leadership Council of the American Cancer Society, and National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Connection of Friends.