Dr. Kristopher Sanchez was appointed by Governor Lombardo as director for the Department of Business and Industry in November 2023.
The director oversees 11 state agencies, and 25 commissions, advisory boards and committees with a combined budget of over 700 million and over 700 employees. The Director’s Office manages several programs and initiatives to address the needs of small businesses and consumers including small business advocacy, bond programs, access to capital, constituent services and fraud prevention and education.
Dr. Sanchez previously held several leadership roles in state government including the Governor’s Office of Economic Development Interim Executive Director and as Nevada’s Director of International Trade.
As GOED’s Deputy Director, Dr. Sanchez was responsible for facilitating economic development opportunities with new and existing businesses, identifying industries, and creating strategies to serve entrepreneurial environments to further grow and diversify Nevada’s economic base.
While serving as Nevada’s Director of International Trade during the Sandoval Administration, he advanced, facilitated, and staffed Governor Sandoval's international trade missions to 14 countries. Further, Dr. Sanchez led delegations and explored opportunities for Nevada in over 20 countries. In this role Dr. Sanchez was also a member of the Executive Office of the President, Office of the United States Trade Representative Intergovernmental Policy Advisory Committee, and a member of the International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee.
Prior to joining GOED, Dr. Sanchez served as a congressional staffer in the United States House of Representatives as a defense legislative assistant for Congressman Jon C. Porter in the 109th and 110th Congress.
Dr. Sanchez has a doctorate in Public Policy from the University of Nevada Las Vegas with a focus on developing models that will enhance Nevada state planning and infrastructure development. Dr. Sanchez has earned master’s degrees in Public Administration and Military History from Norwich University, received a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from California State University, Stanislaus and has completed course work in National Security Studies while attending the War College at Fort McNair in Washington D.C.
Dr. Sanchez is a past board member of the Nevada Commission on Tourism and in 2018, the Director of GOED presented Dr. Sanchez with the GOED award for Excellence in Economic Development. Additionally, Poland’s Ambassador to the United States granted Dr. Sanchez the Amicus Poloniae (Friend of Poland) award in 2017.