We had the good fortune of connecting with Veronica Barriga and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Veronica, what role has risk played in your life or career?

My life has been all about taking risks. At 17 I graduated high school early and moved to Hollywood to pursue a career as an actor. I started by doing extra work in film and TV, eventually it led to hosting red carpets, and interviewing more celebrities than I can count.

In my 20’s I helped build a production company (Arcane Pacific Entertainment) from the ground up. At Arcane I led a number of projects, and co-produced indie award-winning films (Love, Lust & A Room Key, Hollywood Girl: The Peg Entwistle Story). All of this while I put myself through school, and waited tables to keep a roof over my head!

In my early 30’s I decided to pause and go back to school to get my B.A in Broadcast Journalism. While in college I took a part-time job as a tour guide for TMZ. I didn’t know it at the time, but the gig would lead me to become a regular news contributor on their nationally syndicated TV show!

Since then I have worked in local TV news, and continue to seek rewarding journalism and creative endeavors.

Nothing worth building comes without taking a risk- I don’t know where it comes from, but as a first-generation Latina, I’m pretty fearless.


Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

When it comes to work (and life) I am full of grit and dedication, any success I have experienced is because I worked for it and refused to give up. My parents came here from Mexico to build a better life. We didn’t come from money, we didn’t have any connections, we had to work hard for every single little thing.

But one notion that sets us apart is my family’s focus on education. Through education we have been able to change our narrative, and thrive in underrepresented industries.

My two brothers and sister are examples of that- one brother is a data scientist working in tech, the other a supervisor for Los Angeles County, and both have Master degrees. My sister is currently working on her PHD, and breaking barriers as a Mexican female scientist! Honestly, they inspire me to want to be great. Not sure I answered the question, but there you go. Ha, ha.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oh, I am such a sucker for mother nature. All of Arizona is full of picture-esque beauty and so to anyone visiting I would say, find a cool hiking trail and embrace the outdoors… just not during the summer when it’s triple digit heat!! After you get your sweat on, find some craft beer, and support small business owners by hitting up a local taco joint. End the night with a dip at your hotel pool!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to give a ‘shout out’ to my amazing husband and talented filmmaker, James Pomichter who has supported me unconditionally in every single one of my pursuits. Oh and, a second ‘shout out’ to my new baby boy, Rio! I will forever be grateful to have them by my side.

Instagram: @VeronicaBarrigaReporter

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronicabonline/

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