Introducing the NBCUnites Ambassador Program

January 04, 2024

 

By supporting community causes their teams are passionate about, the employees help our company play its role as a good corporate citizen in the places where we live and work.

The program focuses on leadership and skill-building, offering hands-on experience in areas such as nonprofit event planning, communications, marketing and employee engagement. Learn more about the program through first-hand accounts of passionate employee volunteers who represent the inaugural NBCUnites Ambassador class:

• What does it mean to you to be an NBCUnites Ambassador?
  • “It is a meaningful title to hold because it means that I can share my passion for volunteering with my colleagues and community on a broader scale. We can accomplish so much more when we are working together.” - Asia Evans, Custom Animation, Dreamworks (Los Angeles)
  • “To be able to provide fun and memorable volunteer opportunities to the NBC 5 & Telemundo 39 Dallas employees that inspire them to continue to seek future volunteer opportunities.” - Angel Gonzales, Customer Service Representative, NBC Owned Television Stations (Dallas)
  • “Being an NBCUnites Ambassador holds great significance for me. It means having the privilege and responsibility to represent a company committed to making a positive impact in the community. As an Ambassador, I see myself as a catalyst for change, fostering unity and engagement within our team while actively contributing to meaningful initiatives that benefit the community.” - Desiree Rostami, Talent Acquisition Recruiter, LATAM & Telemundo (Miami)
• Tell us about your volunteer project – what did you do, and which organization did you serve?
  • “We worked with a local non-profit here in Glendale called Ascencia. They are an organization   working to help the unhoused transition into homes safely and fully. In addition to offering care packages on the street, they have a center with residents, soup kitchen and case managers to ensure success for their participants. Our project centered on making care packages for 200 people.” - Asia Evans
  • “Dallas Fort Worth employees unloaded boxes and crates of donated items at the Tarrant Area Food Bank distribution center. We unloaded crates full of mixed donated items and checked that they were not expired or damaged before re-sorting and re-packaging.” - Angel Gonzales
  • “For our volunteer project, we collaborated with the organization Village Free-Edge. Together, we worked on a meaningful initiative where we assembled approximately 50 bags containing Thanksgiving food preparations. These bags were dedicated to supporting families in need, reflecting our commitment to making a positive impact in partnership with a worthy organization.” - Desiree Rostami
• Who participated in the event, and how many employee volunteers took part? Was there an event highlight for you?
  • “Our volunteer project involved employees from both Dreamworks TV Marketing and Custom Animation. My co-lead, Kristin, and I were overwhelmed by the support and interest of our co-workers. There were 20 people who showed up to pack the bags and the biggest highlight for us was having the Executive Director from Ascencia attend the volunteer event and shed some light and insight on who we are helping and how.” - Asia Evans
  • “Our group consisted of NBC 5 & Telemundo 39 employees from the Studios at DFW. We had a total of 21 volunteers for our group and it included employee family members. While working, TAFB was playing great background music. The highlight for me personally was when my mentor, Nada Ruddock, our Director of Community Affairs, was dancing while going around taking photos of all the volunteers. That is how great of a time everyone was having in our group while working together. I even had someone email the next workday to keep them in mind for the next project because they had a great time.” - Angel Gonzales
  • “The event saw active participation from our TA & HR Telemundo Team, with a total of 44 employee volunteers joining in the effort. Witnessing the team in action was truly remarkable, as everyone exhibited genuine joy and enthusiasm in contributing to our community. The collaborative spirit and happiness expressed by the team made the event a standout for me.” - Desiree Rostami
• What did you take away from leading your event? Have you gained new skills as an Ambassador?
  • “I believe that I enhanced my collaborative skills but also built upon a foundation of time management, budgeting and scheduling that already exists in my production job. It was such a great experience to work with my co-lead, Kristin, and to meet some new folks in the process.” - Asia Evans
  • “I think team building with various departments such as News, Sales, and Marketing was my big takeaway. Getting out of the office and working together offsite brought about a camaraderie that I think all our employees and guests were feeling. There was a lot to unload and sort and when we cleared the room when done that feeling of accomplishment was truly felt.  The Ambassador program has taught me how to ensure all volunteer hours are accounted for. I can now share that knowledge with other employees and ensure their community efforts are tracked for their teams, ERG members, or station marketing events when helping non-profit organizations.” - Angel Gonzales
  • “Leading the event was a rewarding experience that provided valuable takeaways and allowed me to enhance my skills as an Ambassador. The process of planning and executing a team activity not only strengthened our team's cohesion but also generated a sense of fulfillment from serving the community and bringing joy to numerous families, particularly during the Holiday Season ❤. As an Ambassador, I acquired the practical experience of organizing a team activity, furthering my understanding of my community in the process.” - Desiree Rostami

Thank you to our 2023 Ambassadors!

Angel Gonzales

Ashlee Hill

Asia Evans

Caroline Kane

Chelsea Hanson

Chemene Pelzer

Corrina Cohen

Desiree Rostami

Eric Cooper

Felicia Rose

Jane Noseworthy

Josh Elliot

Kendall Canavan

Kiley Tansey

Kim Mosley

Lilibeth Wolfe

Michele Leone Williams

Miranda Quass

Pilar Mera

Robert Lara

Shane Lou

Shefik Macauley

Tara Trimp