I'm not sure when I first met Jeff Hoffman, but it was at least 15 years ago. It might have been thru work or at a Disney party, but I've always known he was a wonderful and generous person.

Few people touch the lives of as many people as Jeff. He is the man behind the Disney Legends Awards and in his position as Vice President, Disney Worldwide Outreach, he helps to enrich the lives of those in need around the world.

He is kind, generous, and a uniquely special person and I am so grateful to Jeff for taking the time for this interview.

JH: This has been my program since the start! Fred MacMurray was our first Legend. It started out as a way to promote the remake of "The Shaggy Dog" when it aired as the Disney Sunday Movie. When Michael Eisner found out about this proposed publicity stunt, he thought it should be so much more and that is when The Disney University and I got involved. We changed this one time stunt into the program that we have today. So it wasn’t my idea, but it has been my baby for 20 years.

SW: Were you a Disney fan before working for Disney?

Jeff Hoffman: Yes. Growing up in Long Beach California, I had an opportunity to visit Disneyland regularly. Also I enjoyed watching the Wonderful World of Disney on Sunday nights. Both my first visit to Disneyland and my first Disney movie experience, Mary Poppins, took place when I was 4 years old. As a Christmas gift for my 11th birthday, I received a share of Disney Stock!!

SW: How did you get your start with Disney?

JH: I started at Disneyland after high school graduation. My role was a merchandise host in Adventureland. I sold rubber snakes and shrunken heads.

SW: Was it your aspiration to move up in the company?

JH: Absolutely. I had always wanted to work at Disney. My plan was to continue to work at Disney after I graduated from USC (I earned a degree in Public Relations with an emphasis on the entertainment Industry).

SW: How did you get from Disneyland to working at The Disney University, and for those who don’t know, what is the Disneyland University?

JH: While I was at Disneyland, I was very involved. I was on the Cast Activities Advisory Board, an area reporter for the Disneyland Line and I gave tours of the Studio and WED (now Walt Disney Imagineering) for Disneyland Cast Members every Tuesday as part of a Cast Enrichment program. As a result of my weekly trips to the Studio, I got to know the staff at the University.

One Tuesday I was there and I was asked if I was interested in a job. I said “yes!” That day I had three interviews and by the end of the week they called and said “come on up to Burbank!” The Disney University is part of Corporate Human Resources and was structured at the time to include Training and Development, Internal Communications, Employee Activities and Services.

SW: What is your current position with Disney and how did you get to that position?

JH: When I was in The Disney University, part of Corporate Human Resources, I was responsible for all Cast Community Programs. This included Disney VoluntEARS. I was responsible for taking the Disney VoluntEARS program global in the early 90s. As a result, I worked very closely with the various community relations teams around the world.

In February of 2001, I was asked to help start Disney Worldwide Outreach. Our mission was to bring together all of Disney’s charitable initiatives, community relations and VoluntEARism under one umbrella. Today, I am the Vice President of DWO and report to the Senior Vice President of Corporate Responsibility for The Walt Disney Company.

SW: What types of things do you do in your job?

JH: I have a global team and much of what I do is setting the strategy for Disney’s outreach. I work with our various departments and teams within DWO on our initiatives as well as with Disney lines of businesses, global and national charities, non-profits and some government agencies. My travels have taken me to every Disney Resort plus other trips to India, China, United Kingdom and many other places around the world and throughout the US in an effort to expand and unify our charitable component and strategy.

SW: Does Disney profit in any way from Disney Worldwide Outreach?

JH: Disney does not directly profit from our activities, but we feel a responsibility to give back. Disney strives to be a good corporate citizen, a neighbor of choice where we operate and an admired company.

We believe in giving back and utilizing our core competencies to help brighten the lives of children and families around the world when they need it most. We do a lot of work with children’s hospitals, wish granting, reading programs and environmental initiatives.

In addition to all of that, through the generosity of our cast members, our Disney VoluntEARS contribute nearly a half a million hours of service annually. Everyday, somewhere around the world, our VoluntEARS are reading to children, planting trees, assisting children with special needs and so many more worthwhile endeavors.

SW: Do you have any favorite memories of working for Disney?

JH: This is always such a difficult question. I am so fortunate to have worked with many, wonderful people, many of them who worked directly with Walt and Roy. I have traveled the world, worked to honor and preserve our rich heritage, helped children in need and continue to help contribute to making the world a better place. It all adds up to an amazing career with an amazing company!