Sanel joined the Provost Office in September 2023 as a senior academic budget analyst working directly under the associate provost for academic budgetary affairs, Sanel assists in all aspects related to the academic budget.

Prior to this, Sanel was a finance manager with Rice's Department of Computer Science, managing the academic budget and research awards. Before joining Rice, Sanel worked for Columbia University as a senior budget analyst for the Office of Budget Management and as assistant finance director for the School of Social Work.

Sanel received his Bachelor of Science in accounting from City University of New York (CUNY) Hunter College.