Today we’d like to introduce you to Neki Mohan.
Hi Neki, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Born in NY and raised in Trinidad and Tobago, I worked my way up in my career to work at 10 TV Stations in 5 US cities. I was a successful anchor reporter in the Miami Market for two decades. I hit a ceiling at my last station and was working on my exit strategy when my co-anchor of 11 years committed suicide. That my main motivation to final step out. As a mother, I chose to stay in South Florida until she finished high school… I quit my TV job in the middle of the COVID pandemic and started my own production company. I have always been heavily rooted in community work. I am on several boards that help improve the lives of children and women. I recently accepted a job as Vice President of MultiCultural Business and Community Engagement for Visit Lauderdale, the Destination Marketing Organization for Broward County. It is an amazing and exciting opportunity to be an ambassador for the County where I have lived for two decades and I love. It also allows me to incorporate my storytelling skills to show the rest of the world the unique qualities of the place I call home. I feel honored and blessed to be here.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My whole life has been one big adventure! My mom was a housekeeper in NY, she immigrated from the Caribbean to help her family get better opportunities. I worked my way through community college in NY then onto the Journalism School at the University of Maryland. Every semester at MD I had six classes, two jobs and an internship in order to make sure I graduated on time, could pay my bills and have job opportunities when I graduated. Some days I was so hungry I made sandwiches in the food coop for 1 hour to get a free sandwich. I would not change those moments for anything right now. It made me grateful and purposeful and once I got my first taste of a real newsroom I was hooked! I worked behind the scenes at CBS NEWS Washington, ABC News before landing my first on-air job in Jackson, Mississippi. From there, I went on to Miami, Los Angeles, Cleveland and then back to Miami. I have been a mentor in the Broward County Schools for 15 years., I know there are lots of young women out there like me that just need someone to believe in them.
I was raised by my elderly grandparents. They we’re sickly by the time I was 12. My mom passed away when my daughter was 2 years old. I have always been keenly aware of how precious and how short life is. Having the privilege of choosing a career and working hard and excelling at it was amazing. It was so hard to walk away. But at the point I did, it was making me very unhappy. I remembered my roots, and my role as a mom and how many other things I loved to do in my life. So I choose life and to believe in myself… This new role is giving me so many opportunities I never dreamed off.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am new to the Hospitality Industry. What I am not new to is knowing the destination I market and how to talk about it. Part of my job is community engagement, I am an engaging speaker and I am very passionate about giving access to people in our community. I am a community connector, I love networking and connecting people with opportunities they may not have known about. I am a spokesperson for our marketing initiatives and often do radio interviews in our community, informing them about our programs that help businesses.
I am always excited when I see young people excel when given a chance they may never have known about. Mentoring is important. I always say IF you want MORE in your life, Do MORE for others.
What sets me apart? I am energetic, excited and ALL in. It’s the only way I care to live.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
I definitely did not get here alone. We never do.
My Mom made the brave choice to immigrate and to want more. She sacrificed a lot for her family. My grandparents and Aunts & Uncles who raised me.
In the work world, News Anchors like Carole Simpson, Producer A’lelia Bundles, and Communications CEO Sheila Brooks.
My Current Boss Stacy Ritter for taking a chance on me.
My partner Demetrious Coakieanos for being my lifeboat in the world of Hurricane Neki.
And of course my Mini Me, my daughter Lea Boldon who is my muse and mirror.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.visitlauderdale.com
- Instagram: @nekimohan
- Facebook: @nekimohan
- Twitter: @nekimohan
Image Credits
David A. Muir
