Starla Sampaco

About Starla Sampaco

I’m an on-camera host, former journalist, and content creator based in New York City. Previously, I anchored the news for Seattle’s PBS station (1.67 million weekly viewers), covered Washington state politics as a legislative reporter, and hosted a daily technology news program as a one-woman band.Today, I leverage my journalism experience to turn complex issues into accessible stories across both digital platforms and live audiences. My work often focuses on identifying narratives emerging from online communities and translating them into platform-native content.I partner with organizations like Microsoft, AT & T, United Way, SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management), and the University of Washington as on-camera talent for live events and scripted content. As a speaker and corporate event host, I have shared stages with notable figures including President Bill Clinton and Janet Jackson.Throughout my career, I have often been the “only” in the room — the only woman, the only person of color, or the youngest. Navigating those dynamics taught me the importance of advocating not just for myself, but also for others who aren’t in the room. I now channel that energy into content, conversations, and campaigns that elevate underrepresented voices and support systemic change.At Forbes, I write about self-advocacy, career strategy, and professional visibility. As an extension of this work, I previously taught graduate students in the University of Washington’s Communication Leadership master’s program, where I developed a course on executive presence, communication strategy, and self-advocacy as an adjunct faculty member.Outside of work, I enjoy cuddling my rescue dog (follow Dorito on Instagram:@himynameisdorito), creating silly memes, rewatching The Wire (HBO), and trying to convince my partner that our household needs a second dog. SpeakingMy keynotes cover- self-advocacy & professional visibility- communicating with confidence & credibility- self-promotion without sounding disingenuous or “too salesy”- taking up space in the workplace Inquiries:

Experience

1. Leadership Strategy Contributor Columnist

   Forbes

   Aug 2023 — Present

   As a member of Forbes’s invitation-only network of expert contributors, I write a Leadership Strategy column for corporate professionals and job seekers. I share commentary on self-advocacy in the workplace, professional visibility, and the importance of taking up space (especially for women and professionals of color).

Education

• University of Washington

  Bachelor’s Degree, Communication: Journalism; Law, Societies and Justice (Double-major)

• New York Film Academy

  Certificate, Broadcast Journalism

Skills

• Broadcast Journalism
• Broadcast
• Social Networking
• Public Speaking
• Event Planning
• Television
• Social Media
• Microsoft Office
• Voice Over
• Leadership
• Blogging
• Editing
• Video Production
• Writing
• Broadcasting
• Facebook
• Research
• Twitter
• Digital Media
• Audience Engagement
• Photojournalism
• Enps
• Lakana
• Pivot Tables
• Tableau