Ep 18 - Leading with Passion & Creativity with Nicole Quiroga, GM, Telemundo

If you want to witness a leader’s passion and authentic expression at its fullest, you must hear Nicole Quiroga’s interview! A daughter of Latino immigrants, Nicole grew up in a warm, affectionate, emotive household and built her career at a company that helps her stay connected to her roots. Her leadership style is a beautiful blend of passion, kindness, creativity and a dash of Latin flare!

In this super dynamic, energizing, candid interview Nicole shares what it can be like for kids from bilingual, bicultural homes to transition to the “real world”; tips for leaders managing multicultural workplaces; guidance for social change organizations on how to partner with the media; and so much more!

What you’ll learn:

• What it was like for Nicole to grow up in loving, passionate, protective Latino immigrant family
• How she navigates the line between warmth and affection of her culture and professional boundaries of standard workplaces
• How Nicole has worked to overcome being "too nice"
• What it's like to balance emotions and intellect as a leader when you lean more naturally towards emotions
• Strategies Nicole employs to sharpen her organization, focus and planning skills
• Who are the leaders she most admires and what she learns from them
• What Nicole considers her mission and greatest responsibility to the Latino community as the leader of Telemundo
• Recommendations for hiring and working with the Hispanic market
• Specific strategies for nonprofits to reach out and gain media support and partnership
• Moving stories of how Telemundo has impacted causes and organizations serving women

Links & Resources

• Telemundo – Spanish-language television channel Nicole brilliantly manages
• Kristina Bouweiri – Link to one of our previous amazing guests whom Nicole referenced in her interview
• Greater Washington Board of Trade – organization led by one of Nicole’s mentors Jim Dinegar
• Doug Duncan - Link to one of our previous amazing guests whom Nicole referenced in her interview
• My Sister's Place – DC-based non profit helping victims of domestic violence that Nicole referenced in her interview
• Mother's Day Celebration sponsored by Telemundo Nicole wanted to share

About Nicole Quiroga 

Nicole Quiroga, a native of Washington DC, is the General Manager of Telemundo WZDC-25 in Washington D.C. and Telemundo WZTD-45 in Richmond, VA.  In her position, Ms. Quiroga predicts market trends, sets budgets and performance expectations, ensures station compliance with FCC requirements and has overall responsibility for maintaining and growing the profitability of both stations.

Ms. Quiroga is a television broadcaster with expertise in media sales, journalism, multi-cultural marketing, and strategic planning.   She is deeply passionate about educating and empowering Washington DC’s Latino community and, over her 15 years at Telemundo, has forged strategic partnerships with community and corporate organizations which allow her to execute outreach campaigns that provide Hispanic families access to critical information and resources.

Ms. Quiroga is highly experienced in the planning, financing and executing of local and national campaigns that focus on the advancement of Latinos in the U.S., to include Hispanic-targeted trade shows, grassroots events and over-the-air initiatives. Her most recent success was the launch of Agenda, a local public affairs television program produced in partnership with ABC7/News Channel 8.

A sales trainer and speaker, Nicole is frequently invited to speak on topics such as selling to the Hispanic market, increasing sales through cross-cultural communications, and harnessing the power of Latinos now and in the future.

Ms. Quiroga mentors young women on their journey to becoming executives in the fields of media, communications and journalism.  She works with the National Hispana Leadership Institute and the Latino Student Fund to provide one-on-one coaching and tutoring sessions to young girls and women between the ages of 12-25.

Nicole holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications and Marketing from the University of Maryland. She is a graduate of the Leadership Greater Washington Executive Program, Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government Leadership Program and the National Hispana Leadership Institute. She holds leadership positions at the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Latino Student Fund and the Harvard Journal of Hispanic Policy.  In 2014, Ms. Quiroga received Governor Martin O’Malley’s Outstanding Media Award, the Women Who Mean Business Award from the Washington Business Journal and the Public Service Leadership Award from the Hispanic Heritage Foundation.