Today we’d like to introduce you to Sonni Abatta.
Hi Sonni, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’m a journalist by trade and at heart. I spent 15 years working in television news (most recently as the main anchor at FOX35 in Orlando), but I left the business 4.5 years ago. Since then, I’ve been immersed in the digital journalism world and it’s still my true passion in life to share good information and amazing stories that uplift, inspire and entertain people.
My weekly live digital talk show and podcast, We Gotta Talk, is all about real talk on big topics. We dive in every week on big topics and come at them from various angles by interviewing different experts and others with great stories to tell or great information to share. Recent topics we’ve dived into include Change: Why It’s So Hard; Rituals; Sexual Health; Knowing Your Worth; Aesthetics; Kids and Gender; Infidelity; Sustainable Living; Crazy Health Trends; Racism; Female Friendships and so much more! The conversations we’ve had have been incredibly raw and have given me and our listener’s tools to look at things from different perspectives and hopefully to grow a little while doing so.
We Gotta Talk is the name of the show, but it’s also the motto I live by. Ask anyone who knows me: I’m all about diving in. I’m not a surface-level kinda gal. I have tons of questions and endless curiosity about people’s stories. That’s why We Gotta Talk is the perfect name for this podcast and show; it truly is about “going there.” And I’m so pleasantly surprised every week by the incredible wisdom and stories I’m able to share.
Talking is in my nature! As the proud granddaughter of Italian immigrants, our family culture growing up centered around family time, food, good conversations, and the desire to never avoid emotional topics. Ha! I’m so proud of my heritage and my family, and I try to instill in my kids an appreciation for all the things my family passed down to me–good food, good family, and the love of great conversation. I graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a BA and am a native Pittsburgher. My husband and I have three kids- an 8-year-old son, a 6-year-old daughter, and another 4-year-old daughter. There’s rarely a dull moment in our house!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My professional and personal journey have been far from smooth- as I’m sure is the case with most people- but to varying degrees with each. I will say that having great internships in television news while in college really set me up for a smoother entry into the television journalism world. Working at Dateline NBC, FOX Sports Pittsburgh and other local TV stations really gave me an insight into what the professional world of TV journalism looked like. I always encourage anyone with an interest in a field to spend as much time as possible interning; that’s where you’ll get the best idea of what living with your chosen profession will be like. And often, we find there are necessary skills to the job that can’t be taught in the classroom.
The struggle for me professionally came about when trying to balance family and work. With the early or late shift in TV news, it can be difficult to be as present as I’d wanted to be for my family. Ultimately I recognize the privilege of being able to step away from my profession due to the challenge of balancing family life, and I’m grateful I was able to. My talk show and podcast has been the perfect place to land; I get to do what I truly loved doing in television journalism- telling great stories- but this time with better hours!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m an Emmy-nominated an AP-winning news anchor and reporter, and these days I live in the digital world with my live digital talk show and podcast, We Gotta Talk.
I guess what I’m “known for,” both professionally and personally, is being someone who loves “going there.” My work is truly centered around bringing value to people through honest conversations. What drives me is a knowledge that we all feel a little less alone when we share or when we hear someone sharing their story. The most impactful moments in my life have always come about when someone else has been brave enough to vulnerably share their story with me. That’s what inspires me to continue working to share good information and good stories. I truly believe in the power of knowledge and stories to change lives.
In my professional career in TV news, it was thrilling to be part of the coverage of high-profile events like the Casey Anthony trial and the George Zimmerman trial. It was incredible to interview then-Presidential candidate Mitt Romney and VP candidate Paul Ryan. But what takes the cake for excitement would probably be my flight in a fighter jet with the Blue Angels. Now that was intense!
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
For young people seeking employment in a particular industry, I’d reach out via LinkedIn or Handshake to find internships or entry-level positions in your field of interest. For anyone switching careers, never underestimate the power of networking online or a even a cold e-mail reach out! You don’t lose anything by taking a chance and reaching out to someone to see if they have a few minutes to chat.
Contact Info:
- Email: sonni@sonniabatta.com
- Website: www.wegottatalk.com, www.wegottatalk.com/blog
- Instagram: @SonniAbatta
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/WeGottaTalk
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/SonniAbatta
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/SonniAbatta
Image Credits
Image by Sydney Marie Photography
