When we talk about connection, we’re not just talking about our cell towers or fiber lines that power our service. We’re also talking about people and the meaningful moments we share. The winners of our AT&T Believes Impact Award don’t just provide service to our customers though. They’re dedicated members of their communities making a difference through volunteerism.
See how our service leaders are changing lives, shaping a brighter future, and showing how connecting changes everything.
Community Leader Award
Rob Coleman, Service Representative – Global Billing Resolution & Collections
Nashville, Tennessee
No, you’re not having déjà vu, Rob is an Impact Award winner again this year! While he enjoys the recognition for doing something he loves, giving back is reward enough in and of itself.
Since last year, Rob has continued his work with Scouting America and is more committed than ever to helping disabled scouts and teaching outdoor ethics. He recently started a new unit within the Sea Scouts division, too, focusing on nautical adventures like sailing and scuba diving.
While exploring new frontiers is fun, teaching valuable survival skills is even more rewarding. In 2024, Rob added certifications in First Aid, CPR, and AED and began training and certifying his scouts, too. This training proved indispensable when two of his scouts successfully performed CPR on their grandfather after a heart attack, saving his life.
It’s clear Rob is proud of all his accomplishments, and the accomplishments of his scouts, but the recognition hasn’t changed anything for him. “My goals are still the same,” he said. “I plan on finishing out my career with AT&T and using my retirement to double down on my volunteer work.”
While retirement is still a few years away, we know the impact he’s going to have is great and only getting greater.
Employee-led Giving Program Award
Meena Kshirsagar, Principal Systems Engineering
Middletown, New Jersey
Meena has always had a passion for volunteer work. In partnership with many of our employee groups and local organizations, she has contributed to numerous causes – from bridging the digital divide to preparing meals to fundraising. In 2024, she decided to take a big step and join the board of our Women of AT&T (WOA) employee group’s South Jersey chapter.
“I love to lend a hand when somebody is trying to do a good deed,” she said. “I’ve always supported others in their community events and eventually I found myself taking leadership roles of my own.”
As a board member, Meena was named fundraising lead, and she quickly found her passion: WOA’s student scholarships. She began putting together events: “I thought, ‘let me give it a try with a line dancing workshop,’ and people loved it,” she said. “Then, I scheduled a Tai Chi workshop and that was a huge hit too. I gained a lot of confidence from those events and how much people appreciated them and donated to our cause.”
She is particularly proud of the ping pong tournament organized by WOA. “It was a huge challenge to organize the whole thing, but it was so memorable to see how people participated, got excited watching the games, and donated on the spot.”
Being part of AT&T has given Meena unique opportunities to get the most out of her community service. “At AT&T, there are so many different groups working on community activities, and the company really encourages people to be a part of them. We can track our volunteer work and the company will donate to charities on our behalf. It’s great!”
Meena’s efforts are making a huge difference for those in need. They’re also making a difference in her career as well. “Working on these events has increased my confidence, patience, knowledge, and public speaking skills. I became better at planning and management, too. Volunteering has really boosted my self-esteem and makes me feel more motivated than ever.”
Community Leader Award
Mariano Cosentino, Business Management – Technology Services International
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Another familiar name, Mariano is known for being a leader in his community. Always one willing to lend a hand where needed, he first became involved with the Scouts by simply asking if there was anything he could do to help. His work with the Scouts would lead to even more community work, meaningful stories, and being named Volunteer of the Year in 2024.
Not one to seek praise for his volunteer efforts, the notoriety of being an Impact Award winner took some adjusting for Mariano. “I must admit I was a bit overwhelmed by the amount of attention I received at first,” he said. “I’m usually a low-profile guy, so it was surprising to get all this recognition and people calling to congratulate me.
“All in all, it’s nice to be appreciated for something I’m so proud of, and it gives me the opportunity to hopefully inspire others to go out and do something for their community.”
Since taking home Volunteer of the Year, Mariano has continued to find new ways to serve the Scouts and make new memories with the kids. In the last year, he became a member of his group’s emergency preparedness taskforce – creating safety plans and gathering important supplies like radios, first aid kids, and fire extinguishers. He also got involved at a larger, joining the international committee to help with English-to-Spanish translations.
Like last year, he’s also enjoying his time leading camping trips. He recalls one night when a few kids discovered a Praying Mantis fight. The sparring insects immediately drew a larger crowd that led to the cancellation of the planned activities for the evening. “Nature gave a better experience than we ever could,” he said.
If you’re wondering what Mariano did with his prize money from last year, he donated it! The sister Scout’s organization in San Pablo had a community space that was in dire need of repairs. Mariano’s donation allowed for another portion of the leaky roof to be repaired and bring the year’s long project closer to completion.
Digital Divide Leader Award
Daniel Tomanek, Sr. Specialist Network Technology • Engineering and Operations
Brno, Czech Republic
Back in 2016, Daniel and his team established a hackathon to get the next generation excited about technology careers. Since then, they have joined forces with Junior Achievement Czech to expand their mission, reaching even more high school students and introducing them to the “big world of business.” Daniel’s involvement continued to grow time, as well.
“I loved the idea and after attending that first hackathon,” he said. “I saw an opportunity to make things more collaborative and involve other teams.”
As a mentor in these events, Daniel offered advice and encouragement to hackathon competitors. He also helps with technical support and getting the right hardware for participants In addition, he played a key role in with organizing the networking portion of the event, helping students get connected with other teams. Outside the actual event he continues to monitor trends in technology to keep the events fresh.
His efforts in helping to educate and bridge the digital divide goes further than the hackathon. He lends his tech talents to a local organization that focuses on protecting wildlife from dangerous farming equipment. “I fly thermal-camera-equipped drones over fields before combines or tractors begin their work,” he explained. “Our goal is to find fawns hidden in the crops that wouldn’t be seen by the farmers so fellow volunteers can get them safely out of the field before work begins.”
His passion for helping others began at a young age thanks to some advice from his father. “My dad once told me, ‘Be good to good people.’ I try to follow that every day and have found that you get what you put in. I lend a hand whenever I can, and whenever I have needed a helping hand, someone has always done the same for me.”
In his career at AT&T, he has been lucky to find many likeminded coworkers who share his philosophy. He is quick to spread the love in receiving this honor and shouted out the main leader of the hackathon, Petr Novak, for the “contagious enthusiasm” that has inspired Daniel and made the events so successful.
“At AT&T, through my colleagues, I saw how we can help people in need. Whether raising money with fundraisers or putting in hard work yourself, it feels great to do good!”
Dedication and passion; two things all our AT&T Believes Impact Award winners have in common. We congratulate each of them on their commitment to making the world a better place. No one knows what the future holds, but we can say for sure that our team members will continue connecting their communities to greater possibilities.
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