Leslie Sellers, a manager in our Evansville call center, has worked for AT&T for 15 years. She’s held a variety of positions with the company but says technical support has been her favorite. An active volunteer in Southwest Indiana, we caught up with Leslie when she was helping us bridge the digital divide by giving away free refurbished laptops to families in Southwest Indiana. Below, she talks about why she thinks it’s important to give back to her community, and how she appreciates the volunteer opportunities AT&T provides.
What kind of volunteering do you enjoy most?
Our family’s newest favorite is the “Cardio for Canines” that we’ve been doing at the Humane Society, where we go and take the dogs for walks and play with them. My personal favorite, which has a special place in my heart, is visiting nursing homes. My mom worked in a nursing home for the majority of my life. I grew up spending a lot of time there as a kid, and it feels good to go in, take my kids, and then experience the residents’ reactions to that.
What do you think about the volunteer opportunities that AT&T offers?
I love it, because it gives me the chance to get out and meet new people within our community. For example, I live in Newburgh, and with this laptop distribution being on the north side of Evansville, I’m going to meet some new people that I’ve never seen before. It also gives me a good idea of what’s needed in our community – some possible new ways for us to give back through the AT&T Pioneers volunteer network.
Why is volunteering so important to you?
It gives me a great sense of pride to give back to a community that has given to me. I’ve been on the receiving end of thoughtful volunteers a few times in my life, and I want to pay it forward. And to be able to see positive changes firsthand is such a rewarding experience.
What do you think about our company’s focus on bridging the digital divide?
I think it’s great. Expanding access to technology, it’s the way of the future. We have to have internet access now to do our daily lives anymore. My kids are at the age where they use Chromebooks for the majority of their school every single day. My son, he uses his mainly for gaming. But my daughter, she does all of her homework on a computer. She hasn’t turned in a piece of paper in like two years now. Everyone should have the connectivity that we do.
