2023
Senior Director, Multicultural Content Partnerships
INTERNATIONAL
Thanks to my Familia, Great Leaders and Inspiring Mentors, Some Day I can Pass the Baton
Education: M.S., Operations Management, University of Arkansas,; M.B.A., Management, Holy Family University; B.S., Management Information Systems, La Salle University Company Name: Comcast Cable Industry: Telecommunications, Media and Technology Company CEO: Brian L. Roberts (Chairman and CEO) Company Headquarters Location: Philadelphia, PA Number of Employees: 186,000 (December 2022) Words you live by: “It ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.” – Rocky Balboa Who is your personal hero(es)? Parents (Carmen and Carlos) What book(s) are you reading? My Pet Slime book series with my daughter What was your first job? Retail salesperson Favorite charity: Photography Without Borders based in Philadelphia Interests/Hobbies: Home improvements projects, binge-watching classic & trending TV/movies Family: Gaby (wife), Aidan (son), Adriana (daughter)
50
2023 First Quarter
Familia and comunidad deserve credit for allowing me to grow beyond early, real-world challenges and to be in a position where I can now give back to others. I was born in Puerto Rico, and our family settled in a lower middle-class neighborhood in Philadelphia during the mid-1980s. My parents (Carmen and Carlos) were the guides who kept my brother (Javier) and me on the right path. They bestowed their values of courage, integrity, and gratitude on us. Today, I am blessed to be the first in my family to have earned a college degree (plus two master’s degrees), have a kind and beautiful family of my own, and work for an organization that fosters a culture of inclusion and ensures all employees feel supported, embraced, and heard. Despite not having my parents to lean on for corporate career advice, I have been very fortunate to have had great leaders, mentors, and sponsors, throughout my career, who helped carry the baton for my parents. Without the generosity of these colleagues, the early part of my career would have been much harder to navigate. Now it’s my turn to pay it forward to the following generation of leaders. There is a strong need for a diverse group of employees and leaders who can help understand and meet the needs of our customers and communities. At Comcast, we know that a diverse, equitable, and inclusive company is a more innovative and successful one. That’s why we embrace diversity of background, perspective, culture, and experience throughout every aspect of our business. We believe in fostering, both internally and externally, a better and more accepting world. This is apparent in the people we hire, the products we create, the stories we tell, and the organizations we support. While I am still learning and growing, I believe I can give back and help the next group of leaders by sharing my story and providing guidance and sponsorship. While at Comcast, I’m proud to have helped develop leading content experiences for Hispanic and other multicultural audiences across the Xfinity entertainment platforms. This includes helping to grow the quantity and quality of diverse content choices and supporting the launch of and improvements to our award-winning bilingual voice remote. In addition, I have had the pleasure of working on company-sponsored community service projects, leading our Latino Employee Resource Group (ERG), mentoring students through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, and, most recently, joining the board of Photography Without Borders, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit that empowers young students through photography. I’m now preparing for when it is my turn to pass the baton to the group of leaders who are running the next leg of the race.
www.diversityjournal.com
AWARD
Kerin Handal