Mariana Atencio Biography: Husband, Ethnicity, Net Worth, Height, Tv Shows, Age, Sister

Mariana Atencio is a Peabody Award–winning American-Venezuelan journalist, author, motivational speaker, and media entrepreneur, best known for her empathetic coverage of immigration, Latin American affairs, and social justice as a correspondent for NBC News and MSNBC.

She is the author of the bestselling book Perfectly You, delivered a viral TEDx talk on authenticity, and co-founded GoLike Media, a multimedia company producing podcasts and content centered on underrepresented stories.

Profile

• Full Name: Mariana Atencio
• Stage Name: Mariana Atencio
• Born: 2 April 1984
• Age: 41 years old
• Birthplace: Caracas, Venezuela
• Nationality: American, Venezuelan
• Occupation: Journalist, Author, Speaker, Media Entrepreneur
• Height: 1.6m
• Parents: Álvaro Atencio ,Diana Cervoni
• Siblings: Graciela Atencio
• Spouse: José Antonio Torbay (m. 2015)
• Children: None
• Relationship: Married
• Net Worth: $2 million

Early Life and Education

Mariana Atencio was born on April 2, 1984, in Caracas, Venezuela, to Álvaro Atencio and Diana Cervoni. She is the eldest of three children and grew up in a middle-class family during the rise of political tensions under Hugo Chávez, taking part in student protests following the shutdown of independent media.

She earned a communications degree from Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, spent a gap year at Choate Rosemary Hall in Connecticut, and later moved to the United States in 2008 on a full scholarship to Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, where she obtained a master’s degree in broadcast journalism. She is Venezuelan with Latin American roots, and her religion is not publicly disclosed.

Career

Mariana Atencio launched her journalism career in 2009 as a reporter for Spanish-language outlets, including Vme TV and Univision, where she contributed to the Peabody Award-winning investigative documentary on Operation Fast and Furious in 2012.

She anchored morning shows on Fusion TV and reported on major stories like the Haiti earthquake aftermath and Mexican student disappearances, earning early accolades for her cross-border investigative work.

She transitioned to English-language media in 2016 as a national correspondent for NBC News and MSNBC, covering immigration crises, family separations at the border, migrant caravans, and Latino community issues with on-the-ground empathy.

Atencio earned three Emmy nominations, a Gracie Award, and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists Presidential Award, while interviewing figures like Pope Francis and President Biden. Her viral TEDx talk on authenticity in 2017 and bestselling book Perfectly You in 2019 expanded her platform.

Mariana Atencio co-founded GoLike Media in 2020 with her sister, producing original content like the investigative podcast Lost in Panama, which uncovered cases of missing women.

She has become a sought-after global speaker for Fortune 500 companies and organizations like the United Nations, hosts events, and serves as a Henry Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute and spokesperson for the Smithsonian American Latino Museum.

Atencio’s storytelling continues to inspire through multimedia projects emphasizing authenticity and underrepresented voices.

Social Media

• Instagram Handle: @marianaatencio
• Facebook Handle: Mariana Atencio
• Twitter Handle: @marianaatencio

Personal Life

Mariana Atencio married entrepreneur José Antonio Torbay in 2015 after meeting in the United States; the couple maintains a private life focused on family and careers, with no children.

She is close to her sister Graciela, who survived a serious accident in 2014, inspiring their support for disability causes like Fundación Teletón.

Atencio became a U.S. citizen in 2020 and splits time between Miami and travel for work, often sharing her Venezuelan heritage and immigrant experiences while advocating for Latino representation.

Net Worth

Mariana Atencio has an estimated net worth of $2 million. Her primary sources of income include earnings from her journalism career at NBC and Univision, book sales from Perfectly You, speaking engagements for major corporations and global organizations, podcast production, and revenue from her media company GoLike Media.