Quanda was the first minority woman to be in a nationally televised cigarette commercial. She has modeled for Pucci, Paris Vogue and has done print ads for the Ford Motor Company and Pepsi. In 1965, Quanda was recruited as a test case for minorities to join the Philadelphia police force. She credits her law enforcement work with being the most life-preparing experience she has had.
She lived six years in Lagos, Nigeria where she operated the family-owned importing business and, later, in Atlantic City, worked as convention services manager at two casino-hotels. In 1987, she opened the first minority-owned and operated clothing boutique in Atlantic City for the ‘big and beautiful’ woman which is now located in Central Square, Linwood. She then started Grupo Industria Jade in Guadalajara, Mexico which specialized in the production of bowling shoes and logoed sports footwear for little league teams. She is one of only two women manufacturing shoes in Mexico.