Juliet Gilliam, senior director of Corporate Outreach at ESPN, a global sports media network, recognizes the importance of thinking strategically, trusting her intuition, being creative and embracing the value of cultivating professional relationships as traits essential to her career, especially in philanthropy. “Having the opportunity to establish a corporate outreach department at ESPN is definitely one of my proudest moments because it has enabled me to work with a great team who is just as passionate as I am about ‘giving back’ and making a positive impact in the same communities in which I was raised to appreciate,” she says.

From her late mother, Janet, who was an elementary school teacher, and her father, James, a retired physician, Gilliam learned the value of appreciating diverse cultures and exploring new horizons. The combination of her mother’s free spirit and her father’s reserve, she says, “has truly influenced my life’s direction.” She places a strong emphasis on cultivating relationships, with her friends serving as her “reality check and support system.” Her career, she says, benefits from the expertise of her “own personal board of directors.”

A commitment to community service not only has afforded Gilliam an opportunity to give back, but it also continues to be the driving force for mentoring and supporting those who would follow in her footsteps. With a bachelor’s degree in English from Hampton University and a master’s in journalism and public relations from the University of Maryland, College Park, Gilliam mentors a number of young people, including a Brooklyn College student who shares a similar professional interest.

While Gilliam recognizes that being independent necessitates making sacrifices in order to achieve professional and personal goals, she appreciates the opportunities she has received and the accompanying accomplishments. She is engaged in expanding ESPN’s domestic corporate outreach programs globally.