From Amazon and The Wire to her own foundation and new Substack, the celebrated journalist shares what’s fueling her evolution — on camera and beyond.
Taylor Rooks has built her career on asking the right questions.
In an exclusive interview with Boardroom at Sport Beach in Cannes, the roles were reversed as the celebrated sports journalist and media personality found herself answering the questions. Rooks opened up about the business decisions that shaped her career, the passions that keep her grounded, and the legacy she hopes to build beyond the screen.
When asked to describe the energy at Sport Beach in one word, Rooks didn’t hesitate when she chose “productive.” For her, the Stagwell-hosted beachfront experience is more than a networking playground; it’s a chance to cultivate genuine relationships and tap into the future of sports, marketing, and media.
“You can be really productive in these days and really grow your portfolio and your interests,” Rooks told Boardroom.
That same intentionality shines through in her career choices. Rooks describes her decision to join Amazon as “the No. 1 business move I’ve ever made.” She initially joined the tech giant’s Thursday Night Football team to help launch its NFL coverage, later expanding her role to feature storytelling and shoulder programming. Now, she’s preparing to host a brand-new NBA show under the Amazon banner — another step in her rise as one of the most respected voices in sports journalism.
“Being a part of that culture where they put the fan first and where we genuinely love the people that we work with–that’s been game-changing,” she said.
But perhaps her most meaningful move is just getting started. Rooks recently officially launched The Taylor Rooks Foundation, a nonprofit focused on closing equity gaps by addressing overlooked needs in underserved communities. The initiative marks a powerful new chapter in her mission to drive lasting impact beyond the camera, adding that she “would love for that to define my legacy.”
Rooks also shared a glimpse into her personal passions and future creative ambitions, from dream collaborations to storytelling beyond the screen.
“I’m an Atlanta girl. I’ve been flying Delta all my life,” she said with a smile, name-dropping Delta Airlines as a dream partner, alongside none other than Michelle Obama. With the former First Lady diving deeper into podcasting and media, Rooks said she could see their paths aligning.
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Beyond brand partnerships, Rooks spoke about her love for reading and how it fuels her growth both personally and professionally. She described it as a powerful tool for expanding emotional maturity, building empathy, and gaining perspective beyond her own experiences — something she believes is essential to personal development.
That curiosity is now taking shape in written form. Rooks recently launched her own Substack newsletter, Tayloring, where she shares essays, recommendations, and personal reflections. And when she needs to unwind? She’s deep into a third rewatch of The Wire, one of her favorite shows of all time.
“That was the golden age of television,” she said. “Back then, shows didn’t tell you how to feel–it was all in the dialogue.”
Next up on her queue: The Sopranos and Six Feet Under. Rooks also gushed about her Goldendoodle, calling her pup “life-changing” and a daily source of joy.
Whether it’s pets, prose, or prestige TV, she is just as intentional off the clock as she is on it, continuing to shape her legacy one story, platform, and passion project at a time. Rooks is writing her own playbook on her own terms.
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