Organization recognizes AT&T’s Tony Goncalves with Outstanding Leadership Award at annual gala
New York, Nov. 9, 2016—Upwardly Global (UpGlo), an award-winning, national nonprofit organization that helps immigrants and refugees find their place in the professional U.S. job market, honored Tony Goncalves, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Development for AT&T Entertainment Group, with the organization’s Outstanding Leadership Award.
The awards were celebrated at UpGlo’s annual 2016 Passport to Possibilities Awards & Gala held at historic New York City event space Guastavino’s. Seetharam Gorre, Managing Director and Chief Information Officer, Point72 Asset Management, L.P., and John Sabatini, Principal, Advanced Risk and Compliance Analytics Solutions, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, served as co-chairs. Proceeds from the event support UpGlo’s innovative programs that prepare work-authorized immigrants and refugees to translate their education, skills, and previous careers into the U.S. workforce.
“Throughout his career Mr. Goncalves has demonstrated incredible leadership as a champion for diverse talent,” said Nikki Cicerani, President and CEO of Upwardly Global. “He understands on a personal level the challenges that immigrant and refugee professionals face in rebuilding their lives and careers, and how much they can achieve with access to the right information and connections.”
Mr. Goncalves helps AT&T navigate the rapidly evolving consumer marketplace. In his role, he is charged with identifying and assessing new opportunities, setting strategic direction, and overseeing capital planning across the company’s consumer-facing video, wireline, and mobile businesses. A first generation immigrant who came to the U.S. with his family from Portugal, he is a champion for UpGlo candidates and a devoted mentor to many young professionals.
“I am a proud supporter of Upwardly Global,” Mr. Goncalves said. “Helping the immigrant community establish themselves in this country is noble work. It’s what was done for my family and what we did for others. This community, like many others, is ripe with talented individuals who simply need guidance. Upwardly Global understands that. It keeps talent here, which benefits us all.”
Mr. Goncalves’s award was presented by UpGlo alumna Fadila Sarajlic. Originally from Bosnia, Ms. Sarajlic worked in environmental protection at the United Nations Development Programme in Sarajevo. She and her husband moved to New York City after winning the green card lottery, and, unsure of how to restart their careers, both worked at a restaurant making $15 per six-hour shift. After completing UpGlo’s training, she secured a job in internal management consulting operations at Arconic. Her husband also joined UpGlo’s program and is now a full-time professor at Borough of Manhattan Community College.
The event also featured remarks from UpGlo alumna Ferishta Stanekzai, who came to Virginia from Afghanistan on a special immigrant visa due to her work with USAID and is now working as a program assistant with Democracy International, as well as Mr. Gorre.
“Upwardly Global provides a crucial link between experienced immigrants and employers seeking international talent,” Mr. Gorre said. “Not only do they assist with job placement, but they also help with the invaluable work of cross-cultural communication. They are, in my opinion, indispensable for both UpGlo job seekers and employers alike.”
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About Upwardly Global
Upwardly Global, founded in 2000, is the leading nonprofit organization in the U.S. helping workauthorized immigrants and refugees successfully translate their education, skills and previous careers into the U.S. workforce. To date, the organization has trained more than 8,000 foreign-educated immigrants and has assisted over 3,800 individuals back into their career fields.