# Thomas Sanchez

> Thomas Sanchez is the Washington, D.C.-based founder and CEO of Social Driver, a digital agency he built with his husband and co-founder, Anthony Shop. Raised on a corn-and-soybean farm in northwest Missouri, Sanchez moved from computer science and software engineering into entrepreneurship, carrying an FFA-trained habit of learning by doing into agency leadership, civic technology work and nonprofit service.

- **Role:** Founder and CEO at Social Driver
- **Organizations:** Social Driver, The Driver Foundation, The Trevor Project, Campaign Legal Center, Eisenhower Foundation, DC Innovation & Technology Inclusion Council, Northwest Missouri State University Foundation
- **Education:** Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Northwest Missouri State University, Building a High-Performing Minority Business executive education program, Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, Entrepreneurship and Competitiveness in America (EC-America) program, Columbia Business School
- **Known for:** Named to the Washington Business Journal Power 100 in 2024., Named a Washingtonian Tech Titan for three consecutive years through 2024., Received the Northwest Missouri State University Young Alumni Award in 2015.

## Career timeline

- **1999-2002** — Worked as a software developer while studying computer science at Northwest Missouri State University.
- **2002-2009** — Built a career in software engineering and consulting, including healthcare informatics work at Cerner.
- **2009** — Founded the digital strategy business that became Social Driver.
- **2011** — With Anthony Shop and teammates, won George Washington University's New Venture Competition after an earlier pitch failed to advance.
- **2015** — Returned to Northwest Missouri State University as commencement speaker and received its Young Alumni Award.
- **2016-2021** — Served on the Northwest Foundation Board of Directors.
- **2016** — Joined the board of The Trevor Project.
- **2019** — Was elected secretary of The Trevor Project and served in leadership of Washington's Innovation & Technology Inclusion Council.
- **2021** — Joined the board of directors of the Eisenhower Foundation.
- **2024** — Completed Columbia Business School's year-long EC-America program and was selected to speak for the graduating cohort.
- **2024** — Became board chair of The Trevor Project and was named to the Washington Business Journal Power 100.
- **2025** — Returned to Northwest Missouri State University to open its Identity 365 series with a talk titled 'Leading with Purpose in a Changing World.'
- **2026** — Marked Social Driver's 15th anniversary with a Kansas City gathering of clients, colleagues and partners.

## Achievements

- Named to the Washington Business Journal Power 100 in 2024.
- Named a Washingtonian Tech Titan for three consecutive years through 2024.
- Received the Northwest Missouri State University Young Alumni Award in 2015.
- Received the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Innovator of the Year award in 2015.
- Received a Washington Business Journal Minority Business Leader Award in 2015.
- Led Social Driver when it received the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce Supplier of the Year award in 2015.
- Selected for Business Equality Pride Magazine's 40 Under 40 class in 2020.
- Included in an OUTstanding list of 100 LGBT+ executives in 2019.
- Selected to speak for the graduating 2024 EC-America cohort at Columbia Business School.

## Latest updates

- **2026-04** — Sanchez and co-founder Anthony Shop returned to Kansas City to mark Social Driver's 15th anniversary with clients, colleagues and partners.
- **2025-10** — Social Driver highlighted a national FFA profile connecting Sanchez's Missouri farm upbringing with his approach to leadership and company-building.
- **2025-09** — He opened Northwest Missouri State University's Identity 365 series with a talk titled 'Leading with Purpose in a Changing World.'
- **2024-10** — He was named to the Washington Business Journal Power 100 and received a third consecutive Washingtonian Tech Titan recognition.
- **2024-08** — He became chair of The Trevor Project's board of directors after serving on the board since 2016.
- **2024-01** — He completed Columbia Business School's EC-America program and spoke on behalf of the graduating cohort.

## Links

- Website: https://www.socialdriver.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-sanchez-dc
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/socialdriver
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/socialdriver/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/socialdriver

---

Profile page: https://yespress.io/thomas-sanchez
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-09-22