Q: Tell us how you got started in the telecom industry.

My family has a history in media and telecommunications. My mother spent more than three decades in the industry, where she did everything from beta testing cable radio to new business development for a range of companies. My brother has been in telecom for a long time, too. After a short stint in advertising, I followed in their footsteps.

I started at a large cable company in Denver and since 1998, I’ve worked in a variety of locations and capacities across Spectrum and its legacy companies, from Sales & Marketing to Customer Operations, to my current role in Field Operations. What I appreciate most about this business is that no one day is the same. You have to manage change and be resilient.

Q: What is your leadership philosophy?

My leadership style is collaborative, open and authentic. I have great relationships with my regional partners, Inside Plant (ISP) and Sales and invest time in cultivating understanding and trust among us because we are all interdependent. I think my biggest strength is that I can bring different groups to the table and enable everyone to have a voice. When we work together the result is flawless execution for our customers.

When I was new to Field Operations, I wanted to understand the field experience, so I took a ride-along. I didn’t want to draw attention to myself, so I told the construction coordinator to refer to me as a new field trainee. It was a great learning experience, but I didn’t fool anyone — one of the employees we met took one look at me and said, “What’s your story?” I guess my new hard hat and clean boots were a dead giveaway. I was ok with that. I don’t want to pretend to be anything I’m not.

Q: Why is it important that we invest in the development of our frontline workforce?

Our field technicians are essential to our business success and by helping them develop their leadership skills we not only support their career progression, but also ensure the company’s continued growth and evolution.

One way Field Ops is helping high-potential frontline employees to become supervisors is through the LEAD program (Learn. Evolve. Advance. Develop.). Since 2019, 35% of all LEAD participants have self-progressed and/or been promoted and 53% of those who have been promoted to supervisor roles are women and people of color.

I enjoy seeing someone’s talents, helping them grow and partnering with them to determine where those talents are best suited. For example, when one of our Regional Support Center (RSC) agents told me she really wanted to become a field technician, I said, ‘okay, let's figure out how to make that happen for you.’ She became a technician and moved to Kennewick, Washington, and, I’m pleased to say was recently promoted to field supervisor. It’s gratifying to see others achieve their goals. I appreciate the opportunities I’ve been afforded throughout my career, and it feels good to pay it forward and support my colleagues where I can.

Q: What does Black History Month mean to you?

Black History is everyone's history. Our stories are all interwoven. I remember the days when there was only one TV channel dedicated to Black programming and now there’s a proliferation of great content that’s specific to the African American experience. Promoting those stories and making the space to promote people of color, is what Black History Month is all about, and what it means to me.

More than 40% of the homes we serve are multicultural. Furthermore, 21% of our workforce identifies as Black/African American. To meet the needs of our customers and employees, it’s important that we understand their experiences.

Join a team like Danielle's: https://jobs.spectrum.com/fieldoperations