“Count to one hundred.”
Those were the words spoken to Mariana Atencio as she knelt on a mountain trail in her hometown of Caracas, Venezuela, a gun pressed to her forehead. In that instant, she learned a lesson that would shape everything that came next: when the world turns chaotic and certainty disappears, trust becomes the currency that determines what happens next. In a crisis, you survive by finding the one clear internal signal you can rely on.
That moment became the catalyst for a 15-year career reporting from environments where the stakes are real and outcomes change lives. Mariana went on to become a news anchor for Univision and a national correspondent for NBC News, also filing for ABC. From Category 5 hurricanes to international conflict zones, she witnessed the same pattern: high-performing teams do not break down because they lack technology. They break down when trust erodes, communication gets cloudy, and alignment fractures.
To understand what builds trust when uncertainty is the baseline, Mariana has interviewed world-class leaders and elite performers, from Pope Francis and the King of Spain to icons like Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal, translating their lessons into practical, leadership-ready frameworks. Today, she brings those tools to organizations and leadership teams, helping them close the Trust Gap so decisions move faster, collaboration strengthens, and execution becomes more consistent especially during periods of change.
Mariana’s work first reached a global audience when her TEDx talk on trust and authenticity, “What makes YOU special?”, went viral. Viewed by over 25 million people, it established her as a global authority on the power of trust as a performance multiplier. She expanded that message in her bestselling book Perfectly You: Embracing the Power of Being Real, showing why “being real” is not a soft skill but a competitive advantage in a world saturated with noise and AI-generated content.
Mariana is also a sought-after host and moderator for high-profile gatherings, known for guiding leaders into sharp, candid conversations that deliver real insight. She is hired year after year for global events and serves as the host of a yearly 8-hour televised program for Microsoft, acting as a strategic editorial partner to draw out clear, high-value takeaways from C-suite executives.
Originally from Venezuela, Mariana came to the United States on a scholarship to Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. Her reporting has been honored with a Peabody Award, a Gracie Award, and three national Emmy nominations. She is a frequent on-air analyst across major networks, a Henry Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute, and serves on the board of the future Smithsonian American Latino Museum in Washington, D.C.
I grew up in Caracas, Venezuela — a country full of color, rhythm, and contrasts.
At 7 years old, I went to summer camp in Brainerd, Minnesota with my little sister. We didn’t speak English. We didn’t look like the other kids. And that’s when I realized something quietly life-shifting: I felt different. I wanted so desperately to belong. We all do. That summer — somewhere between bunk beds and brave smiles — my lifelong obsession with authenticity, trust, and storytelling began.
2007
Shaken by a violent incident in the mountains and the political turmoil in Venezuela, I decided to leave home to tell the stories I couldn’t tell there.
2008
Came to the U.S. on a scholarship to study journalism at Columbia University — arriving in New York with ambition, an accent, and a lot to prove.
2009–2010
Landed my first job at El Diario, the largest Spanish-language newspaper in the U.S. Then the recession hit and I was laid off. I had to rebuild from what felt like zero, but it didn't stop me.
2011
Moved to Miami for an opportunity at Univision. Investigations. Documentaries. Field work. Anything I could get my hands on. Everything was new and hard. I cried several times in the parking lot, but I put in the work.
2012
A months-long investigation into a gun-walking scandal earned our little team a Peabody Award. When journalism earns trust, it can change outcomes.
2013–2014
Got my big break in English at Fusion, Univision and Disney’s English-language venture. My show was canceled after one year. I rebuilt — again.
2016
Co-hosted the Democratic Presidential Debate, airing on Univision and CNN. Then joined NBC News as a national correspondent. I was the only Latina national correspondent at the time. I covered hurricanes, earthquakes, war zones — and interviewed world leaders. In every crisis, I saw the same thing: When trust erodes, everything erodes.
2017
Gave my TEDx Talk, “What Makes You Special?” — about growing up between cultures, feeling different, and realizing that what sets you apart is often your greatest strength. It went viral.
2018
I suddenly lost my father during the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela. It was devastating.
2019
Published Perfectly You: Embracing the Power of Being Real and Perfectamente Tú: El Poder de lo Auténtico. The book became a roadmap for authenticity — blending personal story with practical tools for self-trust. I toured nationwide, connecting with audiences in a more intimate way than television ever allowed. Those conversations deepened my commitment to helping people leverage the power within.
2020
I got divorced, quit my job at NBC, and sold my house. The fear was real. But so was the clarity, and the trust I had in myself. I co-founded GoLike Media with my sister, Gra — building a platform rooted in clarity, depth, and human connection.
2021–2024
I began keynoting globally on authenticity, leadership, and self-trust — bringing the message of Perfectly You to organizations navigating disruption and change. From Saudi Arabia to Malaysia, Mexico, and Spain. For companies like Ford, JPMorgan Chase, Infosys, Google, and Spotify. And I continued expanding that work through 2023 and 2024.
2023
Produced the investigative podcast series Lost in Panama, about two young women who were attacked in the mountains, just like I was. Our investigation uncovered dozens of new cases of missing women and girls in the region.
2024
Hosted and produced the digital show Startup Series: Latam, highlighting the stories of entrepreneurs across the Global South. Launched Presente: The Latinas Listening Tour with Eva Longoria for NBC/Telemundo — always returning to the same mission: empowering people to be themselves and to speak up.
2025-2026
Became one of the leading independent voices reporting on the new developments in Venezuela on my own platforms. Launched my first online course: Our Executive Communication Program with my sister, Gra (and our pup blue). Had +3,000 people register. Launched on Substack. Debuted my keynote on Trust in the Age of AI, speaking for global organizations like L’Oréal, Scotiabank, and Mastercard.
