Annie Sanchez

Strategy & Ops | Event Producer | Executive Advisor

In search of a senior leadership role in strategic partnerships or operations.

Weaving nonprofit leadership, high-impact event production, and entrepreneurial experience with a personal interest in arts and culture, I would love to contribute to a team of creative, mission-driven people.

anniesanchez.co/contact | LinkedIn

Trusted leader who helps people bring vision into form.

Sought out for bringing structure to ambiguity and building or fixing systems. Guided by creativity, care, collaboration, and a deep belief in the power of community to create the change we want and deeply need.

An artist, strategist, and life-long community builder who, after seven years running a business full time, is ready to contribute to a creative, mission-driven team again, and joyfully follow the leader.

SKILLS & STRENGTHS

  • Strategy & Growth: Operational planning, growth strategy, B2B and B2C sales, fundraising sales, vision-to-roadmap

  • Cross-Functional Leadership: Collaboration across teams, leadership, operations, design, comms, finance, tech, programs

  • Problem Solving & Complexity Management: Proactive planning, issue anticipation, triage under pressure

  • Event Production: High-impact experience design from intimate to 500+ retreats, workshops, conferences, benefits, concerts, fundraisers, dinners, talks

  • Operational Excellence: Systems building, facility management, process improvement, workflow optimization, overhauls and implementations

  • Communication & Facilitation: Internal/external communication, coordination, writing, speaking

  • Stakeholder Engagement & Relationship-Building: High-trust collaboration, consensus-building, hospitality-informed leadership

  • Project Management: End-to-end project design, milestones, timelines, tracking, budget oversight

  • Human-Centered Systems: Integrating user experience into operations, workflows, and evaluation.

  • Equity & Inclusion: DEI-focused program design, culturally responsive leadership

  • IT Operations & Systems: Tech migrations, cloud platforms, software onboarding, vendor coordination

  • Tech & SaaS Platforms: Kit, Mailchimp, Keap by Infusionsoft, Asana, Monday.com, Zapier, Google Suite, Microsoft 365, Figma, Miro, Zoom, Survey Monkey, Acuity

ENDORSEMENTS

“I value and trust 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 you are less than a handful of people I’ve seen who actually 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 in Government

“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

CEO, Lead Strategist & Executive Advisor
Mariposa Strategies | Nov 2018–Present
Remote / National Client Base

  • Lead a diverse portfolio of cross-sector clients in the arts, philanthropy, social justice and business, delivering equity-centered strategies that strengthen operations and balance growth.

  • Built a relationship-based business from the ground up (finance, marketing, sales, service delivery) while generating revenue and cultivating lasting client and collaborative partnerships.

  • Advisor to 200+ founders, executive directors, and emerging leaders around the country on change management, operational improvement, and organizational development.

  • Maintain 94% client satisfaction rate through customized strategic advising on organizational vision and purpose, change management and team realignment.

  • Design and facilitated over 200 in-person and virtual strategy retreats, workshops, complex dialogue sessions, strategic planning processes, and assessments focused on organizational health, employee wellbeing, interpersonal dynamics, conflict, and strategic direction.

  • Advise leaders organizational translate vision and goals into realistic timelines with clear ownership, budget considerations, and measurable outcomes.

  • Operationalize systems for clients (policies, workflows, procedures), strengthening cross-departmental coordination and efficiency.

  • Led complex operational overhauls, including IT upgrades and migrations, trained clients on software systems, developed libraries of SOPs.

  • Coach executives and emerging leaders on personal and professional goals.

  • Lead a long-standing personal development and leadership program (11 cohorts + evergreen membership) serving women and people of color across the United States.

  • Manage brand and marketing efforts, reaching audiences >150,000 across channels.

  • Develop original product lines, services and curriculums with end-to-end ownership of the projects.

  • Cultivate strategic collaborations nationwide to deepen client outcomes.

  • Established tech-enabled, mostly-remote business with systems like Asana, Zapier, Kit, Google Suite, Figma and Zoom, which streamlined client onboarding, delivery and reporting.

Head Event Producer
Freelance | Aug 2004–Dec 2019
New York City, California, New Mexico

  • Produced high-impact events in the corporate, philanthropy and social impact sectors (up to 500 guests).

  • Led end-to-end logistics (concept, creative direction, project plan, budget, vendors, talent, volunteers, staff, contracts, communications, marketing, implementation, post-mortem).

  • Aligned vision, budget, and delivery consistently resulting in exceptional experiences.

  • Managed employees and volunteers for clients.

  • Cultivated lasting client and partner relationships.

Senior Director of Operations & Small Business Advisor
Contract | Jul 2018–Jul 2019
New Mexico

  • Led multi-stakeholder strategic planning initiatives centering equity and inclusion for City of Albuquerque economic development initiative.

  • Drove day-to-day operations of civic innovation hub (from inception to operations) with a shared office space involving multiple cross-sector partners.

  • Managed complex cross-sector projects for three overlapping IT initiatives involving stakeholder alignment, vendor and contract oversight.

  • Consulted small businesses on short-term strategy, systems improvements, and long-term sustainability.

Executive Director
Center for Nonprofit Excellence, United Way of Central New Mexico | Apr 2016–Jul 2018
New Mexico

  • Oversaw development of the first equity, diversity and inclusion-focused training program in the state.

  • Led creation of New Mexico’s Nonprofit Principles & Practices Guide, collaborated with 50+ cross-sector experts; received endorsements from the Governor, Attorney General and Secretary of State.

  • Provided capacity-building advisory services to nonprofit leaders, including governance, succession planning, marketing and human resources best practices.

  • Catalyzed strategic merger, presenting unified value to stakeholders statewide.

  • Developed internal HR systems, including hiring, training, staff development, and accountability protocols.

  • Created and implemented operational systems including OKRs and SOPs.

  • Developed strong analytical and research skills to support organizational excellence.

Co-Founder & Operations Director
Giving Tuesday NM | Jul 2015-Jul 2018
New Mexico

  • Co-created statewide initiative aligned with the global Giving Tuesday movement.

  • Coached organizations on marketing and communication best practices. 

  • Led PR and media campaigns, including tv, radio, billboard, newspaper and social media.

  • Directed design and launch of centralized platform that enabled nonprofits statewide to participate, resulting in 200%+ increase in organizational participation.

  • Mobilized outreach efforts across the state, leading to a 300% increase in community engagement while expanding visibility for nonprofit partners.

Earlier Roles

  • Communications Manager | Center for Nonprofit Excellence, United Way of Central New Mexico | Jan 2015–Jun 2016: Recruited to reimagine communications and marketing. Drove significant growth through DEI-focused strategies. Built strategic partnerships that would serve the organization for years to come.

  • Marketing and Communications Manager | Keep Your Home New Mexico | Dec 2013-Dec 2014: Developed marketing strategy and managed online presence; managed IT vendors.

  • Fundraising & Communications Officer | New Mexico Legal Aid | July 2013-Jul 2014: Established branding and fundraising strategies; engaged donors, community, and collaborative partners.

  • Office Manager | Junior League of Albuquerque | Jan 2013-Jul 2014: Built internal systems and SOPs that helped streamline operations and support organizational growth.

  • Hospitality Leader | Union Square Hospitality, Myriad Restaurant Group and others in NYC, California, New Mexico | Oct 1999–Dec 2013: Shaped my career in people, community, and operations. Honed my abilities to handle complexity, triage crises, develop operational systems, excel at sales and fundraising, and build trust with people at all levels of leadership, staff and community.

Education

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

  • New York University, Fundraising Certificate | Heyman Center for Philanthropy & Fundraising | 2008

Credentials

  • Certified Yoga Nidra Teacher | Empowered Life Circle (mindfulness and resilience facilitation tools) | 2023

  • Certified Business Advisor | GrowthWheel (SBA-aligned tools and frameworks) | 2019

  • Certified Leadership Coach | Altitude (executive and personal leadership coaching) | 2018

Volunteer Leadership

  • Advisory Board Member, New Mexico Chapter | Building Movement Project | 2016-2018

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

  • Fundraising Event Chair | Planned Parenthood New York City, Activist Council | 2007-2012

  • Liaison, GrowNYC, Union Square Farmers Market | 2006-2008