Starla Sampaco

Starla Sampaco is a Filipino American TV news anchor, Harvard Business Review contributor, and professional speaker. Most days, you can watch her reporting the news on KCTS 9, Seattle’s PBS news channel. Starla also teaches graduate students as an adjunct faculty member for the University of Washington’s Communication Leadership master’s program, where she developed a course on career strategy, professional visibility, and self-advocacy in the workplace.

Outside of journalism, she founded Career Survival Guide, which offers corporate workshops, consulting services, and free content on YouTube & Instagram geared towards women and POC (people of color). Starla created Career Survival Guide in response to a serious problem: Women and POC face unique barriers to professional success, and many of us feel unprepared to navigate these barriers upon joining the workforce. Through her services and content, Starla helps working professionals advocate for themselves at work, grow their visibility, and communicate with confidence.

As an extension of this work, she conducts research interviews with women and POC to better understand what they need to feel supported in the workplace. Drawing from this research, Starla works with company decision-makers and HR professionals by sharing strategies for retaining a diverse workforce. In 2021, she presented her research in a Washington State SHRM workshop called “Why You’re Not Retaining Early-Career Women and POC … And What You Can Do About It.” As a professional speaker, she is represented by the SHRM Speakers Bureau and worked with clients like Microsoft, AT&T, and the New York Film Academy.

Starla has worked in the television and media industries for more than 10 years. Prior to joining KCTS 9, she covered state politics as a legislative reporter and also produced a technology news show. In 2021, she was awarded spots on The Puget Sound Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list and 425 Business Magazine’s 30 Under 30 list.