María José Sanchez

María José Sanchez is a Mexican philosopher, entrepreneur, dancer, and researcher with an interdisciplinary work portfolio and publications in the field of artistic embodied experience and phenomenology. She has worked internationally in organizing, producing, and leading cultural festivals and events, fostering bilateral relations between various organizations and governments. María has been a leading figure for the renowned Ars Electronica organization.

She led the successful bid for Guadalajara to be named a UNESCO City of Media Arts, involving a unique collaboration across academia, industry, governance, and citizens. She is a professor and mentors emerging entrepreneurs at several universities across LATAM. María has founded several companies, including co-founding Culturista, a digital culture and tourism startup, and Art Thinking, where she represents Latin America in Australia.

María has been based in Australia, where she won the New Move Grant, an economic development initiative from the city of Newcastle to attract innovative and accomplished talent to Australia. She has been named ambassador of the city of Guadalajara in the Ambassadors Program of the OFC and Ministry of Tourism to promote the city.

Since 2024, she works as a Venue and Business Development Manager at QMC.