Raquenel Garcia, Rocki, grew up in San Benito, Texas, near the Mexico border. Her upbringing was a blend of studying in the United States and summers spent in Mexico, where she sought out extra math classes to stay ahead academically. Fluent in Spanish, she earned a bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Texas – Pan American (now Rio Grande Valley).
Rocki’s career started at Time Warner Cable via Accenture, where she led CDN analytics. She then spent six months at Rogers Communications in Toronto, deploying Comcast’s IPSTB. Today, she leads the Video Insights team within Charter’s Product & Technology Org, where she leverages event-level and system data to generate insights to understand customer experience.
Rocki was honored with the WICT Network Volunteer of the Year award in 2021 and recognized as a Leader to Watch by WICT Rocky Mountain in 2022. She is motivated by her passion for empowering others, driven by empathy and understanding. She firmly believes in recognizing and nurturing the unique strengths of her team, fostering an environment where everyone can thrive and succeed together.
Outside of work, Rocki enjoys her Peloton, practicing yoga, traveling, and spending time with loved ones!
Victor Perez is the founder, President and CEO for VZP Digital since its inception in 2016. VZP Digital provides accessibility services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Blind and Non/Limited-English communities by providing closed captions, translations, ASL, language interpreting, voiceovers and audio description services for the ever-growing need for equal access.
Victor is also the Patent holder for On-demand Captioning and Translations (Patent No.: US 10,582,271 B2, Issued: March 3, 2020).
Victor is a former Cable TV Executive holding CIO, CTO and COO titles. His experience is in business operations, IT, engineering, broadcast and cable distribution, TV production, OTT, internet, captioning solutions and mobile platforms. He is a dynamic and respected leader with an effective blend of EQ, relationship building, helping achieve diverse accomplishments for a variety of large organizations such as NBC Universal, Comcast, Liberty Media and Starz! Victor has been a member of organizations such as NAMIC and The WICT Network.
DEI team: What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?
Rocki: Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to celebrate who we are, beyond just the clichés. It’s about recognizing the real impact Hispanics have on society and taking pride in our rich, expansive heritage.
Victor: It gives me pause and I find myself looking at the long challenging journey made by those Hispanics who came before me, and the road they paved for so many. There is gratitude, humbleness and honor in continuing the expansion and growth of acceptance and achievement, on behalf of our culture. While challenges will continue, there is hope created by real world individuals whose accomplishments act as a lighthouse for many who can see what is possible when preparation and opportunity cross. I recognize and appreciate the mentorship, and opportunities provided by wonderful colleagues throughout my career. They made my achievements possible, and for that I am eternally grateful. Hispanic Heritage is when I reflect on all these things the most.
DEI team: Can you share what you are most proud of when you think of Hispanic Heritage?
Rocki: I’m proud of the resilience and diversity within our community. While we cherish our cultural roots, we’re also making significant strides in various fields. It’s more than just our traditions—it’s about the impactful stories, history and progress we’ve achieved. For example, Luis von Ahn, co-founder of Duolingo, has completely changed language learning with his innovative app. Recent awards like Sofia Vergara’s People’s Choice Award and Javier Bardem’s Screen Actors Guild Award show how we are redefining Hispanic roles on TV. Vergara’s success in leading roles and Bardem’s acclaimed performances show how Hispanics are emerging as influential leaders and change-makers. Additionally, Dr. Frances Colon’s Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring highlights the growing impact of Hispanics across various areas. These achievements reflect how we keep pushing limits and that’s what I’m most proud of our Hispanic community.
Victor: My father, who did many things (veteran [Marines], radio DJ, pastor, chaplain, EMT, director of security, senior citizens placement manager, musician). He is my all-time greatest achiever, who constantly reminded me that you are only limited by what you choose to be. With his eighth grade education, he accomplished the unthinkable by today’s standards. He is my Hispanic Heritage.
DEI team: What are your suggestions to increase awareness to educate others on HHM to further celebrate the accomplishments of Hispanics more often, not just during the month of HHM?
Rocki: To really raise awareness, it’s important to recognize that many Hispanics are breaking through ceilings for the first time, often without the same level of visibility or recognition. Pull someone up with you. We need to make sure these achievements are acknowledged year-round by regularly highlighting Hispanic leaders and innovators, helping them navigate their paths and having deeper conversations about our contributions.
Victor: I believe awareness is important, but less about where you came from, and more about where you can get to. In this mindset, we create a colorful canvas of success, painted with the brush of various cultures, all combined to signify accessibility to success, for any culture. What a wonderful monthly exhibit it would be if we opened and updated our cultural museum whenever there is success among peers. This would allow more frequent recognition of people, for the positive impacts they have made. As a people, once we have achieved collective success, we then reflect on the cultural upbringing and beliefs that brought us to this common vision of success. How incredible would it be to have ongoing nominations for “I caught ____ doing something amazing” and provide monthly recognition, with an opportunity for the individual to share their history and heritage that lead to their amazing achievement.
DEI team: Anything else you would like to share with us?
Rocki: It’s important to create environments where Hispanic voices are heard and valued every day. Our culture is rich and diverse, and it deserves to be celebrated consistently, not just during Hispanic Heritage Month. It’s about recognizing the unique challenges and triumphs we face, and making sure our stories are told, supported, and elevated.
Victor: When it comes to DEI, I tend to focus and advocate for those facing battles in the form of physical and mental challenges to everyday life. Deaf, hard of hearing, blind, any person who finds themselves outcast, be it physical, mental or cultural (language barriers) are how VZP DIGITAL came to be. Equal Access for all. Community, Awareness, Responsibility, Education (CARE) is our objective in being a voice and solution in helping those communities outside of mainstream. We strive to enable acceptance in mainstream life. This is an ongoing fight that we are committed to as a company, and individuals. Accessibility starts here (you, me, our events, our gatherings). Please consider these individuals by thinking universal accessibility.