Today we’d like to introduce you to Sha Tabb.
Sha, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I remember after high school, I didn’t have a real plan of what I wanted to be but knew I needed to at least get a degree. I decided to go to college was the right thing to do, only, I kept failing classes because I didn’t have an endpoint. I was determined to finish because, again, it was the right thing to do. Then, one day, while speaking to my niece (she’s a year older than me), she told me that she had made it on a professional dance team (the Colts cheerleading squad) and that I should audition for the Dolphins. I thought, there was NO way I would make it because she had years of dance experience and I had none. Well, I looked into what it takes to become a cheerleader for the Dolphins and started going to prep classes to learn their style… then, I auditioned and then I made the team!! I was SO excited!! After cheering for the team for two years, and all the excitement that came along with it, I wanted to go for the 3rd year. I didn’t make it back on the team but auditioned for 4 years in a row. During the time of not making it back on the team, I realized that I actually LOVED the attention and glamour of being in the public eye, that I should get into broadcasting. I went back to school and haven’t turned back since. I’ve worked in radio for some time now and I’ve been a part of a sports show on 560 WQAM, reported traffic for stations like Power 96, 790 The Ticket, WSVN 7 and more local stations. I’m part of a Podcast with former NFL wide receiver Chris Chambers and producer/on-air talent Zack Duarte and I look forward to my next adventure. I’ve also been in music videos, the latest being Cardi B’s ‘I Like It’ and movies. I’ve also been a backup dancer for Pitbull for a couple latin music awards. I’ve also had the opportunity to emcee the Miami Dolphin’s Cheerleaders calendar unveiling and would love to continue down that path, but my options are limitless. I am a true believer that ‘You are the only thing standing in your way’
Great, 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?
It definitely has not been a smooth road for me. I didn’t always have confidence. At the age of 12, I had brain surgery and had to wear a wig and hat… in middle school. One of the worse time to have to go through something like that. I got picked on pretty bad and coming from a private school where we only had ten students in our class, to public school with hundreds of students, that was a huge shock to my system. I didn’t realize it would be SO different, but it was. There were SO many personality types and some were pretty mean. I gained a lot of weight because of the medication I had to take after my surgery… I wasn’t the most attractive because I didn’t have confidence, I didn’t know how to dress or do makeup or my hair. So, going to high school was not easy. I did have a great group of friends though. After high school was when I got my confidence back. I started losing weight, learning about myself and people started seeing ME. I was with an agency and started getting extra roles in movies and with every little step, my confidence was boosted. What made me REALLY gain my confidence was becoming a cheerleader for the Miami Dolphins. Watching all the other women I was surrounded by. Seeing how confident they were, how comfortable they felt in their skin, I can honestly say helped me become more comfortable with who I was.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I currently report traffic for radio locally and throughout the state of Florida in Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville & Tallahassee. I’m pretty proud that I have made it to where I am, but don’t want to give up or stop working hard to get further. I’m also proud that people know that I’m a good person and that I work hard for what I want. I don’t take shortcuts.
What do you feel are the biggest barriers today to female leadership, in your industry or generally?
Some of the biggest barriers are ageism, and people assume that since women have emotions, that they’ll allow those emotions to stop them from making the best decisions.
Contact Info:
- Twitter & IG: @shaonair
- Email: sha.tabb@yahoo.com
Image Credit:
Roly Rios Photography
Getting in touch: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
