Mariana Atencio

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Mariana Atencio is a Peabody Award-winning journalist, bestselling author, and one of the most sought-after keynote speakers in the world — booked by major corporations, global summits, and industry conferences across four continents. Her signature expertise is trust — specifically, how leaders build it, protect it, and leverage it to drive high-performing teams. She is also a leading voice on authenticity and a respected authority in executive communication, particularly for bilingual leaders navigating professional life in the United States. She is a former NBC News/MSNBC national correspondent, author of the bestselling book Perfectly You, and her TEDx talk "What Makes You Special?" has over 25 million views.

  • She broke barriers as a Latina immigrant in English-language network television — with an accent, no U.S. on-camera experience, and at times uncertain immigration status. She was told not to dress "too Latina" at a major network and spoke out about it publicly. She consistently uses her platform to advocate for empathy, inclusion, authenticity, and the power of embracing what makes you different. Her career arc — from Venezuelan student activist to Peabody Award winner and globally booked keynote speaker — is the story she tells.

  • She was married. Mariana married Venezuelan entrepreneur Jose Antonio Torbay on October 24, 2015. They divorced in 2020.

  • Her ex-husband is Jose Antonio Torbay, a Venezuelan entrepreneur and app developer. They divorced in 2020.

  • Yes. Mariana and Jose Antonio Torbay divorced in 2020.

  • No.

  • Mariana Atencio is a registered independent. Mariana Atencio has never donated to candidates from either political party. Mariana has never publicly revealed who she has voted for during midterms or presidential campaigns. She frequently appears on conservative news media like Fox and Newsmax and on networks like CNN and MS. Mariana has carved a niche explaining the nuances of the Latino vote, as well as the issues of immigration and Venezuela, which are near and dear to her heart. She covers the news objectively, using her perspective as a Hispanic venezuela woman living in Florida in both English and Spanish.  

  • The earlier, the better. Mariana's calendar fills quickly, especially during peak conference seasons. That said, there is no hard cutoff. If your event is coming up soon, reach out anyway — we will check her schedule and do everything we can to make it work.

  • Both — and she excels at each. In-person, her presence fills the room: the energy is immediate, physical, and hard to replicate. Virtually, she brings that same command through the screen, backed by a professional in-home studio purpose-built for high-quality remote delivery and years of live television experience that taught her exactly how to hold an audience through a camera.

    Her virtual sessions are highly interactive: live polls, active chat engagement, and QR code exercises where attendees respond to a prompt she poses and she reads and reflects their answers back to the group in real time. It creates a genuine dialogue, not a one-way presentation. Her slides are built in Canva and designed to be more dynamic than a standard deck — they move with the session. Depending on the client and tone, she also incorporates music and pacing shifts to keep energy alive throughout.

    She is open to recording short teaser videos ahead of the event to build excitement, and she always closes by giving the audience clear ways to stay connected with her afterward. For a sense of scale: Mariana hosts free public masterclasses every few months that consistently draw around 1,000 live attendees.

  • Very. Mariana does not talk at a room — she gets people participating. Her sessions include interactive exercises and moments specifically designed to help audiences see themselves and each other beyond job titles and roles. She has done this with groups of every size and background, and she calibrates how interactive each session gets to fit the audience in front of her. People leave having had a genuine experience, not just heard a talk.

  • Most of Mariana's keynotes run 45 to 60 minutes, with the flexibility to extend up to 90 when the format calls for it. She also delivers shorter, TED-style keynotes for events that need something tight and high-impact. Whatever the time slot, she shapes the talk to fit your objective and agenda — not the other way around.

  • Absolutely — and it is one of the things clients consistently highlight. Mariana builds each keynote around your organization's specific values, challenges, and the themes that matter most to your people. What you get is not a stock talk with your logo on it. It is a session that feels purpose-built for your team.

  • Yes. Beyond her keynotes, Mariana offers workshops and breakout sessions in executive communication and leadership, book signings, and she is frequently booked as moderator, interviewer, and host — often in multiple roles at the same event.

    As a moderator and host, Mariana brings far more than an onstage presence. She acts as an editorial partner, helping shape the throughline of a program, developing questions that match the moment, and navigating complex topics with clarity. From geopolitics and technology to finance, media, and culture, she works seamlessly with production teams to ensure technical execution is as polished as the content. She brings structure without stiffness and energy without chaos, so momentum stays high across multi-session and multi-day programs.

    Mariana has been moderator, interviewer, and host at high-stakes events for companies and organizations all over the world — and is a fixture at some events that would not think of convening without her. She has interviewed and shared the stage with world leaders, cultural icons, and business executives including Pope Francis, King Felipe VI of Spain, Michael Bloomberg, Bill Ackman, Arianna Huffington, Tyler Perry, Rafael Nadal, and Serena Williams. She has a reputation for putting guests at ease and drawing out surprising, valuable takeaways that resonate with audiences long after the event.

  • Yes. Mariana is fully bilingual and built her career in both languages — first in Spanish-language news at Univision and Fusion, then crossing over to English-language network television at NBC. She can deliver entirely in Spanish, entirely in English, or weave both together for a bilingual audience, with the same command and presence in either language.

  • Mariana has spoken across a wide range of industries — AI and tech, finance, healthcare, wellness, education, beauty, retail, automotive, and nonprofits — as well as for colleges and universities, professional associations, and member organizations. From global summits to internal leadership events, she reads the room and meets the moment, whatever the stakes.

  • Yes. With 15 years in broadcast journalism, Mariana is a natural fit for panels, media appearances, and moderated discussions. She is frequently booked to keynote and moderate at the same event — the combination of roles is something clients return to again and again.

  • The quickest way is to reach out to Graciela Atencio directly at graciela@golikemedia.com with your event details: date, location, format, and audience size. She will get back to you with availability and a quote.