Get Like Me: CBS Senior Vice President Tiffany Smith-Anoa’i

tiffany gala 4

The recent influx of people of color stepping in front of and behind the camera is no coincidence. The creatives contributing to this change are being supported by executives who are committed to “normalizing” television. Shining among them is CBS’s Tiffany Smith-Anoa’i. As Senior Vice President of Diversity & Communications the former public relations professional advocates for every point of view using her passion and purpose to yield powerful results. The Howard grad and ColorComm Circle Award recipient set aside time so we could discuss asking for what you want, being a student of the business, and why she’ll never stop counting her blessings.

Name: Tiffany Smith-Anoa’i

Location: Studio City, California

Personal Style in three words: Fun, comfortable and bright.

Favorite Designer(s): There a few go-to designers for me. I’ve been having a lot of luck lately with Carmen Steffens for shoes. They’re a conversation starter. They’re unique. I wear a lot of Rachel Roy. I like her stuff.  A good faithful is Donna Karen.

Must Have Accessories: Definitely an oversized watch. The watch I wear represents more than the time. It’s the blue-faced Michael Kors hunger watch watch that Halle Berry promoted. You’ll always find me with my wedding ring, and I love, love, love the ‘V’ I wear around my neck for my daughter, her name is Vaughan, just a simple V for my baby.

How do you think attending an HBCU has affected your career?

Attending an HBCU I think solidified the confidence that I already had. I always say “I rep for Howard as if they pay me a check”. I give back, I go back quite often. I’m still in touch with my career counselor who is still there. It really prepared me for what I was going to face in corporate america. You’re surrounded by a group of great people, as well as the legacy of the legends if you will that came before. You feel honored to sit in those seats. There’s a presence there. It’s a privilege to be at such a historical institution. If you look at my wall right now there’s a huge Howard University Alumni banner on the wall.

You manage the CBS intern program what do you look for in interns?

What I look for in interns is being a student of the business. Of course I’m looking for passion, of course I want a great resume, but I want to make sure that someone has done an iota of homework into what internship that they’re going after. Have they looked it up? In this digital age you can look for a job in bed at two in the morning! People forget how accessible not only opportunities are but information. You have to be able to utilize that. So being a student of the business, whatever business you choose to be in, is making sure you research the person before you come in. I have a great story about when I was looking an assistant. The resumes came in and I saw Howard University right at the top. I didn’t even look at the rest of the resumes I was so excited. When she came in for the interview I said “Hey Fellow Bison!” and she looked and said “you went to Howard?” It was obvious she had done no research. I was pissed!

Learn more about Tiffany Smith-Anoa’i below.

What was your first job after college?

Ironically I did my internship at the local CBS affiliate in DC and that’s where I got the taste of exactly what I didn’t want to do.  It was a summer internship I did so well in that I was able to continue in the fall and the spring. I did it for two years in various departments. Once I got into the newsroom I was like ‘I can’t do this- I don’t want to do this”. Internships are important to tell you what you want to do but they are equally important to tell you what you don’t want to do. I just didn’t like the work so I had to figure out what I did like.

What are your current career goals?

To change the face as well as the mind of television and I think I’m doing that on the daily.

Color-Comm-Award-winners-2015-Resize

What’s the hardest part of your job?

In this role, as far as diversity is concerned, having to educate people over what I think would be common sense, maybe having to explain why something might be viewed as offensive. It’s not so much the hardest it’s just a challenge. And I think that it makes whatever success that we do get that much sweeter though. I really truly believe that I get to live my passion seven days a week. My passion meets my purpose on a daily.  

What’s your favorite part of your job?

My biggest passion is being able to change not only what’s in front in the camera but what’s behind. Representation truly matters and images travel the globe. Unconscious bias runs so deep and so wide. You bring your upbringing and you bring your environment to your job. When you go to cast a cop the first thing you think of is “it’s going to be a male and it’s going to be a white man”. Why not an Asian female? The more we see of that the more it becomes “normal”  We’ll hear a lot “ we just want the best actor for the role” and so do I of course I do! But if you’re fishing in the same pond it’s going to dry up. So if you’re in a pond go to a lake, if you’re in a lake go to the ocean. Branch out!  A lot of times people will think of diversity as synonymous with black. What diversity really truly means is more than one. I’m for Asians, Latin Americans, Native Americans, Pacific Islanders everybody! Even white men are always portrayed as dumb in family comedies I ride for the white boys sometimes. 

You’re a mother and a wife in addition to being an executive. How do you manage your time effectively?

I manage it day by day. No two days are the same in this business. I’m highly organized and my squad at home is so fabulous I can’t even tell you. I have a super involved husband, my mother lives with us- it’s a blessing beyond blessings! I feel like Big Sean you know “blessings on blessings on blessings”. Some people don’t have a support system and that’s why I appreciate it so much. I work hard but I know my family is paramount. 

How does working with Big Brothers Big Sisters fulfill you?

It really fulfills you to be able to give back. And I want my daughter to see that, no matter if we’re stuffing bags for the military or dropping off magazines and videos at a women’s shelter, she’s right there with me. You want to be apart of your community no matter where you might live. I like people to know that I’ve thought about them. I’m one of those people who still sends cards and not e-cards, real cards. I just sent my aunt a card the other day. You never know what’s going on in someone else’s lives and if I see a nice orchid or something I’ll pick it up for someone. We all need to go to the mailbox and get something other than a bill.

What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career so far?

You don’t get what you deserve you get what you negotiate. You’d be surprised at what you get if you just ask. I ask for the sun, the moon, the stars, Jupiter, all that. Do I get it? Not always. But I am going to ask and I’m going to be relentless in my pursuit.

What three pieces of advice would you give to aspiring network executives?

  1. Never stop being a student of the business.
  2. Don’t block a yes for fear of a no.
  3. Don’t take it so serious. If one road doesn’t take you where you need to go there’s twenty others that will get you there.

What’s in your handbag right now?

Tons of different lip glosses, I’m a lip gloss fanatic I like the ones from Victoria’s Secret. And I like one called 3D lipgloss from I think it’s LORAC, it’s incredible. My iPhone 6, and glasses because I just got glasses, I have Chloe glasses with beautiful red rims. They’re that deep you know garnett red. I was like “if I have to rock glasses they’re going to be nice”. Another thing that’s a staple in my purse is wet ones. I’m obsessed with hand sanitizers and wet wipes.

Want to learn more about Tiffany Smith-Anoa’i  and her work? Check out the CBS website here

– Keyaira N. Boone

 

1 Comment