Conversations with Sandy Bass

 

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sandy Bass

Hi Sandy, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Originally from Virginia Beach, VA, I graduated from Virginia Tech (GO HOKIES!) in 2012 with a double-degree in Marketing Management and Theatre Arts & Cinema. While in Washington, D.C., I did marketing and communications for theatre organizations, and I also began volunteering with the Human Rights Campaign in 2013. I loved the political landscape and vibrant melting pot of cultures, but I knew that I wanted to move to the west coast.

I made the cross-country move from D.C. to Los Angeles and arrived in the City of Angels on New Year’s Day 2015 to make the transition from marketing for non-profits and theatre organizations to entertainment brands (film, television, and streaming). After getting settled into my first full-time job, I re-engaged with the Human Rights Campaign locally by becoming the Digital Engagement Chair of the HRC Los Angeles Steering Committee.

Since then, I’ve held several local leadership positions (including HRC LA’s Volunteer Engagement Co-Chair, Steering Committee Co-Chair, Dinner Co-Chair, and Area Representative), and in 2017, I joined HRC’s National Board of Governors (serving on the Executive Committee as Governor Engagement Co-Chair, Digital Engagement Co-Chair, and now Vice-Chair of the Board).

I currently work at Disney on the ABC Digital Marketing Team as one of the Digital Creative Managers. I have the privilege to work on an array of shows, including Bachelor Nation (The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and The Golden Bachelorette), The Oscars, The Emmys, The ESPYS, Celebrity Jeopardy!, Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, The Rookie, and Shark Tank.

I’m a proud resident of West Hollywood, and outside of work, I am an active member of OutLoud Sports and WeHo Dodgeball. I love to stay busy, and I am grounded by my incredible boyfriend, Harry.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I wish! Even moving to LA was a gamble. I didn’t have a job when I moved here, and I didn’t have any family here. However, I just knew that I was destined to live here. Every time I visited, I knew that I never wanted to leave. So, I did the work to get here: having my full-time job during the week and earning extra money on weekends by serving at a local restaurant in Crystal City and giving food tours in Georgetown to save up for my move. Once I saved up enough money, I packed up a Penske Truck and set out to LA.

Not having a job when I first moved to LA was nerve-racking, but it gave me hope that I began to get responses once I actually had a permanent LA address — a comfortable studio apartment in the middle of Hollywood. To make ends meet, I worked as an Uber driver, which also allowed me to get a lay of the land. I used LinkedIn to connect with people in the industry, have coffee dates to learn some helpful tips of the trade, and finally got an offer for my first digital creative agency in entertainment: McBeard.

I soon learned that the work moved fast, and I needed to keep up. And once I got my footing, I realized that I also needed to make time to enjoy this new journey. So, I joined my first sports league playing intramural kickball with Varsity Gay League (now OutLoud Sports). That’s where I met my current roommate and some of my best friends.

The biggest struggle I’ve encountered was losing my best friend here in Los Angeles to suicide back in 2018. Ronnie was less than a year older than me, and he always knew how to light up a room and put a smile on your face. He was the most loyal friend I had, and he would drop everything in a heartbeat to be there for those he loved. Losing Ronnie really put into perspective how precious life is, how important it is to hold those you love closely, and never take anything for granted.

Another struggle was the pandemic, which I know impacted everyone differently. Thankfully, I had my roommate Brock to keep me sane (we created “Brockbuster” videos — lipsyncing iconic scenes from movies while wearing wigs lol) but there was still a feeling of being isolated from the rest of the world and missing that connection with my loved ones (especially those back home in Virginia). It definitely took a toll on my mental health, and I discovered how much exercise and staying active helped with my emotional well-being.

The murder of George Floyd and so many other Black individuals in the peak of the Black Lives Matter Movement was also really tough to endure. As a proud Black gay male, I struggled with my identity and personal worth, and it took A LOT of self reflection, support from loved ones, and work to help me see the light. I was incredibly proud of the community that stood with me, and I was proud of HRC taking such a powerful stance to advance my Black and Brown community.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m the Digital Creative Manager on ABC’s Digital Marketing Team at Disney. I joined the company about two years ago (September 2022), and it’s been a rewarding journey. We move at a very fast pace and our workload is very demanding, but I love my job and the incredible content we produce. I do not take for granted that there are literally millions of people who would love to work at Disney, and people continuously tell me how cool my job is, and I count my blessings each day that I’ve put in the work to get where I am today.

My day-to-day varies, but essentially, I work with my colleagues and external agencies to produce digital social and display content to promote our shows. For any clip, graphic, GIF, promo, spot, A/V piece that’s posted on our ABC, dedicated shows’ , and partners’ channels have been ideated, created, and published by our team.

I specialize in producing the creative specifically, but I also develop the strategy and overall direction of both the organic and paid campaign. We’re very intentional about why we create each piece, where it will live, and what the purpose of it is.

To be honest, I’m most proud of my work ethic. I can push myself to incredible lengths, and I am willing to put in the work to get what I want. I also know my empathetic mindset is unmatched. I can almost always understand the perspective of others, and I always ask questions to help guide working relationships and encourage collaboration. Lastly, I am an optimist at heart. I genuinely want the best for myself and for others, and even when things don’t look so great, I will find the silver lining and support my colleagues without exception.

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
My biggest mentor, advocate, and champion is Donna Wertalik, who is an award-winning professor, marketer, and advisor at Virginia Tech. She identified my potential while I was a student in her class, and she asked me to help start a student-ran agency through Virginia Tech’s Marketing Department called PRISM. I helped her found the organization back in 2011, and almost 13 years later, the organization is thriving and leads the social campaigns for local businesses and brands in the Blacksburg area. Donna deserves all the credit and roses, and it’s so great to know that I helped her leave a lasting legacy.

Donna and I remain close friends, and she and I plan an annual trip for select student leaders of PRISM to visit Los Angeles, presenting to my office and other notable companies in the greater LA area. I also serve on the alumni board, where myself and around 12 other graduates help shape the overall strategy and direction of the student-ran organization, while offering support, guidance, and mentorship to rising young professionals.

Pricing:

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Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandygotbass/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SandyGotBass
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/SandyGotBass