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.