Thomas Sanchez

Thomas Sanchez, web strategist and entrepreneur, is using the Internet to revolutionize political organizing. His company, Grow NetRoots, works with elected officials ranging from the local to national levels to build connected web strategies to raise funds, recruit volunteers, and get out the vote.

Thomas's roots in politics began early. Growing up in the bellwether swing state Missouri he served as the Missouri Young Democrats National Committeeman. Later, he worked as the Webmaster for the Missouri Democratic Party.

In 2009, Thomas was named by Ingram’s business magazine as one of the top 20 entrepreneurs in their twenties. For nearly a decade, Thomas worked in the healthcare industry as an expert using the Internet to develop new lines of business. These businesses resulted in millions of dollars in revenue. His work in more than 13 countries on four continents led him to see that business thrives when people are connected.

Thomas's career took a turn with the launch of Grow NetRoots. Thomas is committed to using his business skills to help progressive candidates get elected. "Campaign leaders must stop thinking of social media as a choice. It’s a requirement," he says. "Can you imagine running a campaign without a telephone? Twitter is the new fax machine and Facebook is the Rolodex. The Internet is the office."

This commitment led Thomas to launch a business that would make first-class web strategies affordable and accessible to progressive politicians at all levels. He is passionate about cultivating future talent by supporting key races at the state and local level.

Thomas has advised Fortune 500 CEOs, Members of Congress, and international delegates of the U.S. State Department on how to use technology to expand and focus their outreach efforts. He has been a featured speaker at business conferences and universities including the University of California Berkeley Haas School of Business, Emory University, and CHC Healthcare Conference.