Betty Diaz grew up in a Dominican family with strong military ties—her uncle is a Marine veteran and her cousin is an Army veteran.
She was working at NBC in New York when her cousin was severely wounded in action. A vehicle he was in hit an IED. Three soldiers were killed in the blast.
“My cousin lost his eyes, more than 60% of his body was burned, and he’s now an amputee. It was awful,” she recalls.
Diaz took time off work and flew to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio to support her family.
“It was after that experience that I realized I needed to do more for this community. They’re raising their hands to serve, and we just say, ‘Thank you for your service.’ We need to do more.”
From there, Diaz joined the NBC Veterans Network as a volunteer committee member, determined to go beyond lip service.
She shared, “A couple of years after he started healing, my cousin became a motivational speaker. He’d tell people, ‘I lost my eyesight. I’m an amputee. I’m burned, but I’m happy to be alive.’ Whenever I feel down, I call him, and he lifts me up. That’s the kind of resilience that inspired me to help this community.”
Diaz transitioned to CBS in market research, and on her second day, a colleague sought her out: “I saw all the work you’re doing for veterans. Help us.”
She continued volunteering as a liaison for the CBS Veterans Network mentorship program while keeping her research role.
“I just kept taking on more projects. I wanted to contribute as much as I could to the veteran community,” she said.
Eventually, Diaz became VP of Marketing/Director of Programs & Operations for the Paramount Veterans Network. She developed initiatives like the Veteran Immersion Program, giving veterans hands-on experience in media. Under her leadership, the network expanded its programs by 350%.
“All the initiatives I created were about opening doors for veterans. I didn’t promise jobs, but I promised opportunities—to network, gain skills, and meet the right people.”
Diaz continues to support veterans in media through advisory boards and workshops.
“I know I can make a difference when it comes to veterans in this industry, because that’s what I know. It’s been my wheelhouse forever,” she said.
One of her focuses is helping military members explore careers in entertainment beyond just acting or production.
“A lot of veterans want to be creative. My motto is, most of us can’t help millions in a day, but if I help one veteran, I’ve done my job. And I make my uncle proud—he knows I’m looking out for the community, just like they’ve done for all of us.”
