When Hugo graduated from Seton Hall, he was on track for becoming the good journalist he intended. He had no idea that he was bound for a job in sports
media, specifically ESPN. The Disney-owned sports network recruited Hugo not only for his journalistic skill, but, also because of his bilingual abilities and his life-long advocacy for the Hispanic community.
The former President of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists calls himself a “change agent,” and deserves the title. This Emmy-winning journalist has built a platform over his career of standing up for diversity, and brings that leadership to a network that has
given him the mission of relationship development with the Hispanic community. ESPN knows that this population is not only a fast-growing sector of their fan base, it is also an important talent pool. How Hugo achieves his mission is to view it broadly, by identifying opportunities and working with teams to collaborate across multiple platforms (social media, digital, radio, and television.)
He advises on how media can better serve the Hispanic community and helps determine editorial and sales direction. He develops initiatives that improve recruitment and retention and, basically, educates stakeholders on making decisions with a multicultural mindset. He also travels to ESPN-sponsored sporting events in markets that serve as the population hubs. All this, and more, Hugo does to contribute and dually represent the company and the community, and he’s been doing it so well that he was recently named by Sports Illustrated as one of the “30 Most Influential Hispanics in Sports.”
HUGO BALTA
(United States)
Senior Director,
Hispanic Initiatives, ESPN
Winnerut