Nicole Anderson
AVP of Social Innovation & President of the AT&T Foundation
AT&T
Dallas, TX USA
“You can’t rely on anyone else for your own happiness—you have to make your own.”
Videos
By Roadtrip NationNicole Anderson
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Milestones
My road in life took a while to figure out.
My parents are both immigrants from the Netherlands, so my sister and I are first-generation Americans.
Growing up, our parents were active in politics and serving the community, so I developed an early interest in both of those areas.
Attended the University of California, San Diego, where I earned my bachelor’s degree in political science.
I began my career in politics working on campaigns and congressional tasks.
On a whim, I decided to go back to school to get my MBA from the University of Texas at Austin.
I struggled my first year in graduate school—I had to learn the basics of Microsoft Excel and familiarize myself with subjects like accounting and statistics.
After graduating, I began working for AT&T where I started out working in external and legislative affairs within the same branch as the AT&T Foundation.
I am now the assistant vice president of social innovation at AT&T and the president of the AT&T Foundation, overseeing all of our philanthropic programs and charitable giving.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Bachelor
Political Science
University of California-San Diego
Political Science
University of California-San Diego
Graduate
Business Administration and Management
The University of Texas at Austin
Business Administration and Management
The University of Texas at Austin
Career
AVP of Social Innovation & President of the AT&T Foundation
I oversee the philanthropic and CSR strategic initiatives for the AT&T Foundation.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Business
Non-Profit Organizations
Learning / Being Challenged
Day to Day
I run our foundation here at AT&T which means I am in charge of all of our philanthropic giving and our main program, Aspire, which aims to keep 9-12th grade students in school and put them on the road to success for college or careers.
Skills & Qualities Beyond School
Be proactive about decisions and utilize what resources you have available. Try to be organized (I struggle with this). Leadership skills are very important. You need to have humility and honesty. Recognize your weaknesses and strengths and surround yourself by people that compliment that and can effectively collaborate with you.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for high school students
Take the time to learn. You don't have to jump into every opportunity right away. Build your skills and experience before trying to take charge. Take advantage of leadership development programs and networking. Intern or take on various positions within your company in order to learn a variety of skills.
Hurdles
Challenges I Overcame
First-Generation Immigrant
Career Change
School Stress
