Ken Sanchez

Vidas y Sueños representative

Originally from Costa Rica, Ken relocated to Clinton, New Jersey in 1994 where he served in numerous non-profit organizations as President and Director. He moved to San Mateo, California in early 2021 with his wife Flor, who also serves on the Neighbors Abroad board.

A medical doctor and bioengineer, Ken has been working in the pharmaceutical industry for more than 33 years, including for such companies as Merck, Glaxo, TEVA and currently at Gilead Sciences, where he works in Global Commercial Operations.

Ken and Flor co-manage Vidas y Sueños, a partner organization to Neighbors Abroad, in Oaxaca, Mexico. The non-profit provides families and children in vulnerable communities with programs related wellness, health, and nutrition.

Recently they have expanded their mission to sustainability programs, the most significant being in the indigenous village of Yaxe, in Oaxaca, where 50 families were the beneficiaries of a life-changing rainwater capture program initiated by Vidas y Sueños, Neighbors Abroad and other non-profits. The rainwater capture initiative allows the Yaxe families to collect and keep water for personal use, crop-growing and other purposes. The project was recognized with a 2022 Innovation in Humanitarian Assistance Award from Sister Cities International.