DBT40 Honoree: Yesenia Taveras

Title: Director of Communications

Yesenia Taveras | DBT PHOTO BY LUIGI CIUFFETELLI

Workplace: Wilmington City Council

Age: 39

Yesenia Taveras’ career in communications started when she was just 16, hosting a youth talk show on Delaware’s local Comcast station. The experience convinced her to pursue a career in communications, becoming the first person in her family to earn a college degree.

After graduating, she taught inner-city youth video production and elevated the brand of the Police Athletic League of Delaware as their public relations director. When Wilmington City Council’s government television station, WITN22, hired her in 2007, Taveras immediately saw a gap in programming for the Hispanic population and founded the station’s first Spanish news program and bilingual TV talk show. The shows won multiple local and national awards, and in 2021, she was promoted to WITN22’s youngest and first Hispanic station manager.

She then became the first Hispanic director of communications for Wilmington City Council, overseeing all internal and external communications, including daily press releases, weekly newsletters, talking points, annual reports, and speeches for 13 elected officials. In her first year, Taveras’ work with the council has already been recognized with state press association awards.

As the founder of Unseen BLISS, she also works with nonprofits, universities and media outlets to share her story as a sexual assault survivor. In that role, Taveras has provided more than 200 women who’ve survived sexual abuse and domestic violence with ministry care and counsel.

The perennial volunteer keeps herself energized with self-development books, even taking leadership coaching sessions with noted guru Tony Robbins.