Rakel Sanchez
District Operations Manager
Colorado State Conservation Board
My Bio:
I was born in California but split my childhood between Denver and San Diego. School months were spent in Colorado, but summers were dedicated to fishing and swimming with my dad and grandpa. I hold a BS in Business Administration, driven by a desire to work directly with people. My previous career included 12 years in healthcare, where my passion was connecting and helping others. Today, I continue to serve people by connecting them with vital funding, resources, and technical support, all while actively listening to their experiences. My greatest joy and achievement, however, is being a wife and a mom to my children, Keith and Grace.
The thing I enjoy most about my job is the people. I often have to pinch myself because I’m amazed that this is my job. I am constantly surrounded by people who are deeply passionate about the land we all use and cherish. They are dedicated to ensuring our natural resources will thrive for generations to come. These individuals respect the history that brought us here and genuinely desire to help one another.
My claim to fame in high school was being the class clown. Sometimes it got me in trouble, and now both of my children have been blessed with those same (talkative) social skills.
An effort our state agency is proud of is how our division and program navigated the loss of federal funding. When the Farm Bill-tied technician cooperative agreement with the NRCS concluded before a new one was finalized, our State Board stepped in. They utilized their own state funding to retain all 18 technicians for an entire year, an action that successfully prevented technician furloughs while we await the finalization of the new agreement.
One thing I never order from the menu is seafood. While I will try it, I won’t actively seek it out. This stems from childhood summers spent with my avid fisherman Grandpa. I had to help him clean and gut the fish, which he would then make me eat for dinner. Since my palate was
strictly limited to chicken nuggets back then, you can imagine my hesitation.
Future conservation leaders must master the ability to truly connect with people through listening, empathy, and a genuine eagerness to learn. Progress is born from conversation, and that requires moving beyond simply talking at someone to talking with them. By really hearing
their concerns, challenges, and hopes, leaders can foster the meaningful dialogue needed to drive change.
Ask me about shopping (just kidding). Ask me about operational efficiency, process improvement, and supporting district and state agency staff. I work to find practical, sustainable ways to streamline workflows and reduce administrative burden, ultimately supporting state agency and district staff so they can dedicate more time to their missions. My goal is to transform cumbersome tasks into smooth, simplified procedures, fostering an environment where staff can thrive and taxpayer dollars are utilized with maximum effectiveness.