Jackie Nespral: “I Say You Can.”

To every woman with seemingly dissonant desires doubting if she can have it all, Jackie Nespral has news for you.

On August 1^st, 1992, Nespral became the first Hispanic American network television news anchor as she headed the Today Show’s first Saturday morning broadcast. Since then, Nespral has won four Emmys and had four children. All the while, she continues to anchor Miami’s Channel 7 News while having her own show, Impact also on the network. By embodying the virtues of tenacity, focus, passion, cultural pride, and professionalism, Nespral has defied the odds and proved that, yes, you can have it all. On that autumn August morning, Nespral’s voice made waves as it was broadcast across America, “We’re very happy to become a part of the Today family and hope to become part of your lives.” And she doubtlessly has.

Nespral, appropriately, started her career studded with historic firsts on a Spanish-speaking program that was the first of its kind, Sabado Gigante. On this variety show, Univision’s longest-running in network history, Jackie Nespral made her on-air debut as a spokesmodel. Although it’s a far cry from the hard-nose news Nespral reports today, the show equipped her with the skills, the mentors, and the platform by which she was able to reach her goals.

One of the key things Nespral has done that’s allowed her to become successful in so many endeavors is that she has had a plan. She knew that the first step to getting what you want is knowing what you want. If you’re an aspiring journalist, this article might be the closest to a mentorship session with Jackie Nespral you will ever get. To start your success today, read ahead.

#1: Know what you want.

Nespral cites becoming a spokesmodel co-host of Sabado Gigante as her big break. She worked this job while still an undergraduate at the University of Miami after gaining media attention as Orange Bowl Queen. Although Sabado Gigante was an entertainment show and Nespral had her eyes on news, knowing what she wanted early allowed her to begin making plans to get there.

#2: Know what you need. Learn anything and everything from anybody you can.

Although Sabado Gigante was a variety show, it allowed her to being developing the skills and establishing the relationships that would shape the rest of her career. It was here that she formed relationships with Don Browne and Don Francisco (Mario Coretzberger), who became her mentors. Of Don Francisco, whom she credits with having taught her everything starting from how to behave in front of a camera, she says, “He really taught me the intricacies of what it is to be a good journalist.”

#3: Make the right connections.

As for Don Browne, Browne eventually became an executive at NBC, her future home as a Today Show anchor. Years later, Browne was included in a compilation video congratulating Nespral on winning the Silver Circle Award Emmy. Addressing his longtime mentee, he said, “You are the essence of the American Dream. Hard work, talent, never giving up—you are everything that is good and right about this business, and you are everything that is good and right about the human being that you are.”

#4: Stay focused.

In journalism, you will inevitably be faced with stories that strike closer to home than others, but you are still called to report completely objectively.

As a Cuban American journalist, Nespral had the opportunity to witness history in the making when she embarked on what she calls “one of the greatest stories I’ve worked on.” This was her coverage of the changes in the relationship between the United States and Cuba. She had the opportunity to witness the opening of the embassy, the ???, and finally, President Obama’s historical visit.

However, when presented with the radiance of the dawn of a new era in Cuban history, Nespral had to be very careful not to let her excitement overtake her objectivity in reporting.

“You have to be extremely focused—especially on live television,” Nespral advises. “I’m the type of person that wears their heart on their sleeve, and I’m emotional. But you really have to try to stay focused and know that you are working and it’s a job. So you have to try to separate yourself and really compartmentalize those feelings.”

Moreover, Nespral had to master a new level of focus when she began having children. She stands as a staunch advocate of the ideal that a rich family life and a rich career are not mutually exclusive—if executed correctly and with focus. “We’re women, and a big part of that is women having babies and having a family,” she said. Nespral was not willing to negotiate that “big part” of being a woman with her love of her career. And through hard work, she didn’t have to.

#5: Stay proud.

Knowing yourself and being proud of can be a wonderful fuel for success.

“Be true to yourself. Be proud of who you are,” Nespral offers. When listing the tools she used to construct her successes throughout career, she cites “being proud of my beginnings, being proud of my culture, my heritage, my language, being multicultural.” The pieces of her that knit together to compose her identity are what made her strong. If you are able to do these things, you will have an edge and a sense of pride that will put you ahead.

“Always be true to yourself, always be genuine, and always be proud of where you came from. And that has really been a wonderful thing that I have lived my life on: my pride and my background.”

Because she had a plan, Jackie Nespral has been a game-changer not only as a Cuban American, but as woman, too. At age twenty-six Nespral became America’s first Hispanic network television news anchor. Through using her background to her advantage in gaining exposure on Sabado Gigante and Noticias y Mas, Nespra was able to make history.

Additionally, this sense of pride was also a rudder in guiding her career goals and decisions. “Even though I was working at a show in the English,” Nespral told me, “I wanted to keep my cultural roots and I wanted that to be apparent. I didn’t want to hide that; I wanted to showcase it.”

As a woman she has broken through barriers and defied the stereotype that women are unable to put their emotions aside, and she has four Emmys to show for it. She also disproved that women cannot be successful professionals and parents, and has four beautiful children to show for that.

Throughout all her successes and stories that she’s offered the world in tireless efforts to help make it better, Jackie Nespral has one last statement to better y-o-u:

“People say that you can’t have it all, but I say you can.”