Annie Sanchez

Culture Strategist | People & Wellness Leader | Executive Coach
Albuquerque, NM | anniesanchez.co/contact

Multidisciplinary leader with 20+ years of experience translating vision into action.

As a founder, strategist and executive coach, I’ve advised 200+ leaders, built operational systems from the ground up, and led large-scale programs from end to end rooted in culture, wellness and community.

Known for clear thinking, compassionate leadership and getting things done, I bring strong judgment and a bias toward action. I thrive in ambiguous, complex situations while navigating growth, transitions and competing priorities with calm, structure and heart.

I'm seeking a remote, people-centered Operations or Culture role where I can serve as a right-hand partner to executive leadership and help a creative, mission-driven team thrive.

SKILLS & STRENGTHS

Strategic Planning & Execution • Culture Strategy • Cross-Functional Collaboration • Internal & External Communications • Leadership Coaching • Employee Wellbeing • Program Design • Facilitation • Community Building • Systems Thinking & Process Design

Skills

PEOPLE

  • Executive coaching, mentoring and strategic advising

  • Cultivate cohesive, high-functioning, non-dysfunctional teams

  • Facilitation of cross-functional teams

STRATEGIC PLANNING

  • Spearhead comprehensive, multi-year, cross-functional strategic initiatives, guiding the process from vision formulation to operational execution.

  • Design and implement robust marketing and communication strategies to effectively engage target audiences.

  • Lead development of programs and curricula to enhance organizational growth and community outcomes

OPERATIONS

  • Produce memorable, transformative events, concerts, retreats, workshops and training for 3-500 people

  • Highly organized dependable, manage complexity well, gets tangible results

  • Financial oversight, budgets and cashflow

TOOLS & PLATFORMS

  • Asana and Monday.com onboarded and trained teams on both

  • Zapier, Converkit, Google Suite, Microsoft 365, Slack, Figma, Miro experience

  • Trello, Basecamp, ClickUp, Airtable and Notion familiarity

Strengths

RELATIONSHIP & TRUST-BUILDING

  • Inherent curiosity and sensitivity to others

  • Disarm and win them over through trust-building

  • Genuine optimism helps others see their own value

  • Naturally see links among people and things

VISIONARY THINKING

  • Powerful anticipation of the future, takes initiative, solves problems proactively

  • Detect gaps, discrepancies and opportunities, others often don’t see, and adjusting course

  • Innovator in the midst of uncertainty

  • Quick thinker and learner, while known for including others 

  • Forward-focused view that accounts for everyone involved, from team to the end-user/customer.

SHARP COMMUNICATIONS & INFLUENCER

  • Strong written/verbal skills, precision of thought, invites collaboration, good listener.

  • Excellent at turning ideas into action and making things happen

  • Stirs enthusiasm that gets people & projects unstuck

  • Strong sense of self that empowers others

ENDORSEMENTS

“I valued your reasoning and logic. I always felt like I could own my work and come to you when I needed help.” ~Former Boss, Senior Leader in Philanthropy

“‘Organized, strong project management, strong communications both verbal and written.’ You see these things in job descriptions, but truly, you are less than a handful of people I’ve seen who possess them. I'd trust anything with my name on it to you. I’d trust you to pop into my job, even over people on staff doing it for years!” ~Former Direct Report, Manager

“Annie is in a category all her own. Both smart and wise, with deep empathy and a knack for getting right to the heart of the matter. She has this uncommon ability to really listen and hear...even what's unspoken.” ~Coaching Client, COO & Entrepreneur

EXPERIENCE

Professional Experience

Founder, Executive Coach & Program Architect
Mariposa Strategies | 2018–Present
Remote / National Client Base

  • Scaled values-driven coaching and consulting practice from the ground up, increasing revenue by 150-200% each year and serving 200+ leaders and teams nationwide.

  • Maintain 94% client satisfaction rate through customized strategic advising on growth, leadership transitions and team dynamics.

  • Serve as strategic thought partner to teams guiding visioning, change management and team realignment.

  • Designed and facilitated 100+ retreats and interventions, helping organizations navigate complexity with clarity and cohesion.

  • Founded and scaled The Culture Club to 11 cohorts and an evergreen membership with 94 members across 17 states and 2 countries.

  • Drive all aspects of brand, communications and content strategy — writing and producing newsletters, podcast content, blogs, and social media that reaches audiences in the hundreds of thousands.

  • Develop original product and curriculums, including four editions of Clarity Pages®, with end-to-end ownership of concept, design, production, and marketing.

  • Built a tech-enabled, fully remote business using systems like Asana, Zapier, Converkit, Google Suite, Figma and Zoom—streamlining client onboarding, delivery and reporting.

  • Cultivated intentional collaborations with consultants and facilitators nationwide to expand impact and better serve clients.

Executive Director
Center for Nonprofit Excellence | 2015–2018
New Mexico

  • Scaled flagship program from local to statewide adoption, tripling engagement and securing $200K in new funding.

  • Translated organizational data to surface strategic value and sustainability challenge, and identified a merger opportunity with state’s leading philanthropic network.

  • Initiated and stewarded executive-level conversations for strategic merger with New Mexico’s leading philanthropy network, presenting unified value to funding partners and 9,000+ nonprofits statewide.

  • Oversaw creation of New Mexico’s first Nonprofit Principles & Practices Guide, engaging 50+ subject matter experts and securing endorsements from the Governor, Secretary of State and Attorney General.

  • Managed a cross-functional team and a budget of $500K+, while implementing operational systems including OKRs, SOPs and hybrid training models.

Operations Manager
Rio Grande CDC | 2018–2019
New Mexico

  • PM for cross-sector collaboration with multiple stakeholders, including two transnational tech partners, and oversaw daily operations of a community innovation space.

  • Facilitated strategic planning meetings with stakeholders from public, private and nonprofit sectors to align goals and drive shared initiatives.

Business Advisor & Project Manager
Roanhorse Consulting | 2018–2019
New Mexico

  • Advised entrepreneurs on brand strategy, operational systems, and marketing to support business growth and alignment.

  • Led stakeholder facilitation and co-designed meetings for civic innovation program focused on entrepreneurship and economic development.

Co-Founder
Giving Tuesday New Mexico | 2015-2018
New Mexico

  • Co-founded and co-led the statewide #GivingTuesdayNM initiative, aligning with the global Giving Tuesday movement to drive philanthropic engagement across New Mexico.

  • Designed and launched a centralized platform that enabled nonprofits statewide to participate, resulting in 200%+ increase in organizational participation.

  • Mobilized community outreach efforts across New Mexico, leading to a 300% increase in public engagement and expanded visibility for local nonprofit partners.

  • Developed and executed a regional media campaign spanning local news outlets, morning shows, and billboards to drive awareness and participation.

  • Engaged press and broadcast media to amplify program reach, earning placements in newspapers, local TV, and high-traffic billboard locations.

Event Producer & Logistics Lead
Freelance Roles | 2004–2019
New York City, California and New Mexico

  • Led production for high-impact events, from $1M private celebrations to public galas and benefit concerts, overseeing end-to-end planning, vendor management, talent coordination and volunteer teams.

  • Designed event concepts and managed creative direction alongside logistics, staffing and guest experience.

  • Triaged complex logistics and provided seamless day-of coordination for corporate retreats, conferences and high-profile gatherings ensuring seamless delivery for up to 500 guests.

  • Collaborated with stakeholders across sectors to align vision, manage budgets, and deliver events that exceeded expectations.

Communications Manager · Development Officer · Office Manager
Staff & Freelance Roles | 2007–2015
New Mexico

  • Led strategic communications and digital campaigns for statewide organizations shaping messaging, fundraising efforts and volunteer engagement.

  • Developed fundraising campaigns and partnered with community organizations to increase reach, build trust and amplify long-term visibility.

  • Established front office systems and SOPs to streamline operations and support organizational growth.

Restaurant Manager & Captain
Union Square Hospitality, Myriad Restaurant Group, and others | 1998–2012
New York City, Los Angeles, New Mexico, and Honolulu

  • Led high-performing frontline teams in fast-paced, high-touch hospitality environments across NYC, SF, LA, and Honolulu.

  • Trained staff, upheld exceptional service standards, and built trust quickly under pressure, earning consistent guest and team loyalty.

Education & Training

  • University of New Mexico — BFA in Art Studio, in progress

  • Empowered Life Circle — Certificate in Yoga Nidra & Subtle Body Wisdom, 2023

  • Altitude — Certificate in Virtual Coaching, 2019

  • GrowthWheel — Certificate in Business Advising, 2018

  • New York University Heyman Center — Certificate in Fundraising, 2007

Volunteer Leadership

  • Event Producer – Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, 2012-2013

  • Chair, Fundraising Committee – Planned Parenthood NYC, 2007-2012

  • Market Liaison – GrowNYC (Union Square Farmers Market), 2006-2008