Doran Sanchez

Doran Sanchez served as the Public Affairs Specialist for the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) California Desert District (CDD) from March 1990 through June 2006. During this time he represented the BLM on three broad-based interagency councils and dealt with many complex public and land management issues, projects, and programs.

Doran served as Chief of Communications for BLM Nevada from June 2006 to August 2011, and the Deputy State Director for External Affairs for BLM California from September 2011 to August 2013. He was actively involved in the Bureau’s wild horse and burro adoption program in both Southern California and Nevada, and was selected to serve on BLM’s National Wild Horse and Burro Emergency Adoption Marketing Team in 2000.

In August 2013, he was selected as the BLM California Project Lead in the development of a corridor management plan (CMP) for the section of Historic Route 66 between Barstow and Needles, California. The BLM and California Historic Route 66 Association (CHR66A) completed the CMP in July 2015. The cities of Needles and Barstow and San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed resolutions endorsing the CMP between September and December 2015.

The CMP includes a marketing strategy to promote sustainable heritage tourism. In May 2016, CHR66A in sponsorship with the BLM hosted a Route 66 Tourism and Economic Development Symposium in Barstow, California. Utilizing lessons learned from the symposium, local citizens in Needles and Barstow formed Route 66 Associations and are implementing community Route 66 revitalization projects to increase tourism and enhance economic development opportunities.  

Doran grew up in McDermitt, Nevada and graduated from high school in 1969. He joined the Navy, served four years in the Navy Medical Corps, and was honorably discharged in 1974. He moved to Texas where he earned two degrees in journalism. His professional experience includes six years as a reporter, editor and photojournalist and three years as a regional marketing director. 

Listen to Doran's Spotlight Series Presentation:

Historic Route 66 Corridor Management Plan