Biography

Christina McKenna is the owner of Bluestone Executive Communications, which specializes in preparing professionals to communicate with impact in critical situations.

During 12 years as a TV anchor and reporter in Boston, Seattle, Detroit and Richmond, McKenna interviewed thousands of newsmakers, from Hillary Clinton to George W. Bush to Bernie Sanders, among other politicians, business leaders and celebrities. Later, McKenna took her journalism experience to the other side of the microphone, as the spokesperson for Fortune 500 Boston Edison, publicly representing the company through a series of high-profile crises. As the founder and president of Bluestone Executive Communications, McKenna has coached thousands of executives and dignitaries to communicate more effectively in high-stakes situations, whether giving a TED talk, appearing on Squawk Box, talking with customers or addressing the rank and file at an employee town hall.

McKenna earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science at the University of Chicago and a Master’s degree from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. She also spent two years teaching journalism, ethics and writing as a member of the full time faculty at Suffolk University in Boston. She is a frequent keynote speaker and regularly writes about business communication in the blog, “Let’s Be Clear."

CAPTIVATE: Secrets to More Powerful Public Speaking

Whether working in business, government or non-profit, leaders are often defined by their ability to communicate in critical situations. Yet most step into the spotlight, vastly underprepared to make the most of the moment. Television journalist-turned-corporate-coach, Christina McKenna challenges professionals to acknowledge the potential every communication has to change outcomes and challenges audience members to identify and embrace the powerful, authentic communicator within each of them. McKenna then reveals the secrets of the world’s most powerful communicators and demonstrates simple strategies for putting these lessons to use in everyday communication. From company president to young rising star, from the eager presenter to the shyest speechmaker, every audience member will come away with a new perspective on public speaking and tools they can immediately put to use, captivating their next audience.