Greg Sanchez exemplifies resilience and dedication, earning his bachelor's degree while successfully navigating Veterans Treatment Court—an achievement recognized nationally when he was nominated for Student Veteran of the Year in 2022 by Student Veterans of America. Demonstrating unwavering commitment to his fellow veterans, Greg served as a Warrior-Scholar Project fellow, facilitating intensive college-preparatory bootcamps that empowered transitioning service members for success in higher education.
Furthering his passion for advocacy, Greg earned a Master’s in Public Policy from the University of Chicago, simultaneously serving as Liaison for the Veterans Restorative Justice Project. In this pivotal role, he authored and secured a $150,000 grant from The Cigna Foundation, significantly enhancing housing support for veterans involved in the criminal justice system.
Most recently, Greg's outstanding contributions and relentless dedication were honored through his selection as a finalist for the prestigious HigherEdMilitary Spotlight Award, underscoring his profound impact on student veterans and their families. Greg Sanchez continues to drive meaningful change through his visionary leadership, impactful advocacy, and steadfast commitment to empowering veterans and military-affiliated communities nationwide.
Greg Sanchez is a U.S. Navy veteran and public policy professional whose life exemplifies resilience and transformation. After surviving mental health crises, homelessness, addiction, and felony convictions tied to unaddressed military trauma, Greg completed Veterans Treatment Court and earned his associate’s degree while on felony probation. He later graduated from UC Riverside, where he led the Underground Scholars Initiative for system-impacted students, and earned a Master of Arts in Public Policy from the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy. Now Assistant Director for the Office for Military-Affiliated Communities at UChicago, he manages a multifaceted portfolio serving student veterans, SkillBridge interns, and justice-involved veterans. He leads the only university initiative with an MOU supporting Veterans Treatment Courts and formerly taught with the Warrior-Scholar Project to empower transitioning service members. A 2022 SVA Student Veteran of the Year finalist and 2025 HigherEd Military Spotlight finalist, Greg turns lived experience into institutional impact.
Greg Sanchez is a U.S. Navy veteran and public policy professional committed to advancing support for military-affiliated communities and justice-involved veterans. As Assistant Director for the Office for Military-Affiliated Communities at the University of Chicago, Greg oversees a multifaceted portfolio—supporting undergraduate and graduate student veterans, mentoring DoD SkillBridge interns, and leading initiatives for justice-involved veterans facing some of life’s most difficult transitions. He directs the Veterans Restorative Justice Project in collaboration with the Circuit Court of Cook County, community partners, and UChicago’s professional schools to provide academic support and wraparound services for veterans in the legal system. A graduate of Riverside County’s Veterans Treatment Court, Greg draws on his lived experience to guide others with empathy and purpose. With expertise in program administration, coalition building, and strategic resource development, he bridges higher education, public service, and community support to build equitable pathways for veterans across every stage of life.
