Tampa International Airport’s Veronica Cintron Returns to Where Her Journey Began
On a sweltering summer day nearly 23 years ago, a terrified 17-year-old girl stepped off a plane at Tampa International Airport (TPA). She arrived alone from her native country Puerto Rico to start a journey many would never have the courage to pursue. Her only belongings were a modest collection of clothes, a comforter and less than $100 in cash.
The University of South Florida (USF) visited her high school to help recruit a more diverse student population. The teenager’s divorced mother did not have the resources to pay for a post-secondary education. Determined to be the first member of her family to go to college, she applied for every scholarship she could.
Starting a new life in a new place, she faced financial hardships and cultural differences. In order to pursue her dream of a degree in mass communications, she took out student loans and juggled part time jobs in between classes.
“I wanted a better life and to be able to help my family,” she said. “It was hard, but I knew it was what I needed to do to change the narrative.”
Today, Veronica Cintron is an executive at Tampa International Airport (TPA), the very place her journey began. She leads a team of communications professionals from her Sky Center One office that overlooks the bustling airport. The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority-run facility is a major economic driver for the Tampa Bay region with an estimated 90 non-stop destinations around the world. TPA serves 20 commercial airlines from four airside terminals, generating roughly $14 billion in economic activity per year. In 2022, the airport handled more than 459 million pounds of cargo.
As TPA’s Vice President of Communications, she often walks through that same terminal where she first arrived as she strategizes messaging for the traveling public and employees or interacts with media. TPA is consistently ranked among the world’s most beloved airports. She has traded her fear and modest belongings for hard-earned confidence and an impressive resume.
After accepting the position three years ago, Cintron was waiting for a flight with her husband, Preston Rudie, when she paused before boarding. The 2022 Tampa Bay Business Journal 40 Under 40 Honoree and 2023 Girl Scout of West Central Florida Woman of Promise had a full circle moment. She thought back to how scared she had been and how many barriers she encountered along the way.
Pivotal Moment
In college Cintron noticed that other aspiring news anchors did not sound like her. She was often reminded that her Spanish accent may interfere with her dream of becoming a broadcast journalist.
After graduation, Cintron faced mounting student debt and limited employment opportunities in a competitive field. She moved to Springfield, Massachusetts to accept an entry-level job at a television station.
As part of her training, she was sent to “anchor camp” where up-and-coming journalists are coached in pacing, enunciation, writing and delivery. On the last day a talent coach told her that because she had a thick accent, she could never be a news anchor in the United States. She encouraged her to go back to school to pursue a degree in a different profession.
“In that moment my dreams were crushed into a million pieces. Her words broke me, but when I decided to glue the pieces back together, they were my fuel,” Cintron said “I knew there were plenty of people that sounded like me. I was proud of who I was. I decided that she doesn’t get to decide my fate – I do.”
Cintron thought of that pivotal moment when she accepted her first Emmy Award.
Throughout her 10 years as the weekday evening anchor for Spectrum Bay News 9, she earned six Suncoast Chapter Emmy Awards, including one for Best Anchor. She has covered major domestic and international stories including the inauguration of President Barack Obama, the 100th anniversary of the Panama Canal, Pope Francis’ first visit to Cuba and the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.
Cintron has been honored with:
- Florida Association of Broadcast Journalists Awards
- Society of Professional Journalists Sunshine State Awards
- Tampa Hispanic Heritage Leadership Award
- USF Hispanic Heritage Service Award
- Watermark’s Favorite News Anchor WAVE Award
Her advice to young professionals: “Don’t let anyone get your train off track.”
She is passionate about lifting other women up.
“We can play a critical role in advancing and championing other women, instead of giving oxygen to toxic comparisons or competition,” Cintron said. “There is enough success to be shared by all. If you work hard that success is yours for the taking.”
The busy mother of an active seven-year-old girl acknowledges that support is not always there. Her advice for her daughter and other young women with a goal:
“Work hard and be your own cheerleader. People won’t always root for you so you can’t depend on anyone else to fill you up,” Cintron said. “Believe in yourself and feel strongly about what you can bring to the table. It starts with you.”
Career Change
In 2020, when Cintron was recruited by TPA, she faced the toughest decision of her career. She loved her employer, Spectrum Bay News 9, and the opportunity to tell stories and inform people about important issues.
While exploring the airport opportunity, Cintron realized she could put her skills to work in a new arena with many similarities, but also some exciting differences.
Once again, it was hard to leave her comfort zone, but she was drawn to the new adventure. Twenty years after she first arrived in the U.S., she experienced the same mixed emotions and decided to “take the leap.” She has found that both communications jobs have been equally rewarding.
“As a news reporter, it was always about impact,” she said. “In my corporate communications role, it’s still about impact.”
As TPA’s Vice President of Communications, she is honored to help shape how 23 million annual passengers experience the United States’ 28th busiest airport. Her communications team touches just about every area of the airport operation. She has learned how important messaging is to keep Hillsborough County Aviation Authority’s 665-member workforce informed and engaged.
Taking on a new role in the midst of a global pandemic, Cintron is especially proud of the airport’s ability to lead the industry. When people were reluctant to fly, they created TPA Ready, an actionable plan to rebuild travelers’ confidence. The novel approach, designed to protect employees and the traveling public against COVID, set the bar for airports around the country. They were the first airport in the country to offer two types of FDA approved tests for both departing and arriving passengers. More than 21,000 tests were administered in TPA’s Main Terminal from October 2020 through May 2021.
Innovation is woven into the fabric of TPA. In November 2021, the airport opened the Blue Express Curbsides, which are pick-up and drop-off lanes for passengers without checked luggage. The award-winning project is the first of its kind in the nation. In September of 2022, J.D. Power named TPA the #1 large airport in North America for Customer Satisfaction. Next year they plan to break ground on a new 16-gate terminal, Airside D. The $787 million project is expected to be complete by 2027.
Her advice to anyone facing a roadblock in their professional or personal life is consistent with her fierce perseverance.
“Nobody’s perfect. Our own vulnerabilities make us second guess ourselves and can set us back,” Cintron said. “Fierce is knowing the internal struggles will always be there – but being unafraid to forge ahead when it gets tough and learn from it.”
By Jennifer Kennedy.
