Ezekiel C. Sanchez, a Totonac Indian from Mexico, is the second oldest of sixteen children. At a young age Ezekiel learned to work and gather wild edibles from the desert to supplement his family food supply. In his fourteenth year, Ezekiel's family joined a band of migrant farm workers. After several years of following the crops in the Western States, his family finally settled in Moapa Valley in Overton, Nevada.

Ezekiel started high school at 19 years of age and graduated three years later at the age of 22. He became the first in his family to earn a high school diploma. An art teacher recognized his artistic ability and without Ezekiel's knowledge submitted a scholarship application to Brigham Young University. He was awarded an art scholarship to BYU in 1966.

After struggling through his first year at the University, Ezekiel received an invitation from the college administration to participate in a wilderness survival course conducted by Larry D. Olsen. Three days into the course, Larry recognized Ezekiel's obvious skills and talents for the outdoors and invited Ezekiel to help him develop the BYU Survival courses. Ezekiel became a full time teaching staff member for BYU's Department of Youth Leadership.

At the request of ecclesiastical leaders, Ezekiel left the university to implement a church education program in the remote areas of the Navajo Indian Reservation. A gifted teacher, Ezekiel worked with youth of all ages from the reservation. During the summer months Ezekiel continued to develop his outdoor programs for youth with Larry Olsen.

In 1988, Ezekiel and Larry reunited to establish the ANASAZI Foundation, a non-profit, licensed and nationally accredited outdoor behavioral healthcare program located in Arizona. By applying their many years of wilderness experiences, they developed the ANASAZI Way philosophy. The ANASAZI Way has since become recognized internationally as an effective and nurturing approach to inviting a lasting change in youth and young adults making at-risk choices.

Today, Ezekiel's knowledge of plants and ancient skills is unparalleled. He is known for his exceptional skill to track (even at night). Stories of his ability to travel through the desert with little or no food and water are told and retold around campfires throughout the West.

Ezekiel is married to Pauline Martin, a beautiful Navajo from The Gap, Arizona. They are the parents of seven children. Ezekiel and Pauline were honored as the 2001 Arizona's Parents of the Year and in 2002 received the Excellence in Parenting 2002 National Award from The National Parents' Day Council, A Project of the American Family Coalition and The Washington Times Foundation.

Among the many honors they have received, these two honors are special because Ezekiel and Pauline consider all the young people who have walked or will walk the ANASAZI Trail as part of their family.