Lauren Sanchez’s journey from a teenage job at a New Mexico waterpark to luxury expeditions across world’s oceans comes into focus nearly four decades later, as her latest Galápagos trip draws attention

Lauren Sanchez’s recent trip to the Galápagos Islands has highlighted a journey that began far removed from the marine conservation work she is involved in today. In 1987, Sanchez worked an hourly job at The Beach Waterpark in New Mexico as a 17-year-old teenager. Nearly four decades later, she serves as Vice Chair of the Bezos Earth Fund and has been involved in efforts to protect marine ecosystems.

During her recent Galápagos expedition, Sanchez swam alongside whitetip reef sharks and highlighted their role in maintaining healthy ocean ecosystems and transporting nutrients across marine environments.

Lauren Sanchez’s journey from a New Mexico waterpark to the Galápagos Islands

Sanchez worked at The Beach Waterpark in Albuquerque during its first summer in 1987, the same year she graduated from Del Norte High School. The attraction featured a 700,000-gallon wave pool and operated until its final season in 2004 before closing permanently in 2005.


Her exact role at the waterpark has not been disclosed. However, former classmate Kevin Gant described Sanchez in a 2025 Times profile as “one of the most energetic and exuberant people at the school.”

Sanchez later built a career as a television anchor, became a licensed helicopter pilot and author, and took on a role with the Bezos Earth Fund. Founded by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, the fund supports climate and nature conservation projects.

Her latest expedition took her to the Galápagos Islands, where she entered the water alongside whitetip reef sharks and spoke about their importance to the marine ecosystem.

“Some of them travel thousands of miles between deep and shallow water, and everywhere they go, they move nutrients that the rest of the ocean depends on,” Sanchez wrote in a social media post.

Bezos Earth Fund supports Galápagos marine conservation

Sanchez’s Galápagos trip also drew attention to conservation initiatives supported by the Bezos Earth Fund.

According to information shared about the projects, the fund has allocated $1.32 million to conservation efforts covering the Galápagos Marine Reserve and Ecuador’s Hermandad Marine Reserve. The latter forms part of a biological corridor linking the Galápagos with Costa Rica’s Cocos Island.

Together, the protected marine areas cover more than 202,000 square kilometres and provide habitats and migration routes for nearly 3,000 species.

The Bezos Earth Fund has also committed another $60 million to projects across the Eastern Tropical Pacific. The funding will support coastal restoration, shark and whale tracking, and equipment and training for rangers.

Lauren Sanchez highlights sharks and ocean conservation

Sanchez’s recent posts have brought greater attention to the role of sharks in marine ecosystems and conservation efforts across the Pacific.

The initiatives supported by the Bezos Earth Fund aim to protect around 835,000 square miles of Pacific waters. Sanchez’s involvement marks a notable shift from her teenage job at a New Mexico waterpark nearly four decades ago to her current focus on marine conservation, sharks and the protection of ocean ecosystems.