When the stakes are high. And they're always high.
Christina McKenna
PRESIDENT
Founder and President of Bluestone Executive Communications, Christina McKenna is the voice whispering in the ear of America’s most powerful corporate and community leaders. Her training and coaching programs reflect decades of experience preparing leaders to deliver pitch-perfect communication when it matters most.
Christina spent 12 years as a TV reporter and anchor in Boston, Seattle and Detroit, covering politics, business, and breaking news. Later, she moved to the other side of the microphone, as spokesperson for Fortune 500 Boston Edison, helping the company navigate a series of high-profile crises.
Christina earned a Bachelor’s at the University of Chicago and a Master’s from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. She spent two years as full time faculty at Boston's Suffolk University, teaching writing. She is a frequent keynote speaker and authors the blog Let’s Be Clear. Reach her at cmckenna@bluestoneexec.com.
“Coaching the CEO requires the highest level of skill, confidence, and tact. Bluestone’s got it! From media training to executive speech coaching to prep for investor and analyst calls—always spot on.”
— Senior vp of Communications; Public Utility; New Haven, CT
Executive Trainers and Coaches
Ro Coppola
SENIOR executive Communications coach and media trainer
From top television talent to global corporate icons, Ro Coppola specializes in coaching and training leaders to more impactfully leverage communication to connect with key audiences and drive results. Previous roles in television news and production yielded Ro a staggering 11 Emmy Awards and a coveted Edward R. Murrow Award, as well as first-hand experience interviewing world-famous newsmakers who range from CEOs to sports legends and popes to pop stars.
At Bluestone, Ro provides media training, presentation coaching, and crisis communication consulting services. Fast-paced and interactive, her sessions are packed with insight and personal experience gleaned from years of watching leaders step into the spotlight, often on their best or worst day.
Outside of work, Ro is a competitive swimmer and avid sports fan. She holds a bachelor’s in journalism from Wayne State University where she frequently speaks about careers in communications.
Bret Gallaway
SENIOR communications strategist and coaching partner
With deep experience in health care, financial services, and manufacturing communications, Bret Gallaway brings strategic, creative and candid counsel to training sessions and message development workshops. Bret is regularly an executive counselor to CEOs and boards, helping to guide them through brand overhauls, cultural transformations, and crises.
In past roles, Bret has served as Chief Communications and Marketing Officer at Trinity Health and as an executive at USAA and Morgan Stanley. He began his career as a presidential appointee in Washington, DC, serving as the speech writer for the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury.
He holds a master’s degree in public policy from Georgetown University and a bachelor’s in journalism from Marquette University.
Steve Byrne
senior messaging strategist
Messaging expert and wordsmith extraordinaire Steve Byrne has spent a career culling through data and details to find and give voice to compelling narratives that deserve to be shared.
At Bluestone, he leads clients through our proprietary “message storming” process to distill even the most complex concepts into clear, concise messages that are easy to repeat and impossible to forget. Steve draws on past success as an award-winning editor at the Detroit Free Press, an acclaimed documentary filmmaker, and the founder and executive director of one of the country’s leading documentary film festivals. Steve holds a bachelor’s in journalism from Michigan State University.
Ray Santerini
SENIOR LEADERSHIP communication COACH
Ray Santerini’s background as a business leader and corporate trainer contribute to his dynamic and inspiring programs on leadership, conflict resolution, productivity, and communication.
Ray has designed and delivered training workshops for and provided consulting services to such renowned organizations as Coca Cola, Capital One, McDonald’s, Marriott Hotels, the US Army, Johns Hopkins University, Little Caesars, Masco Corp, and the FBI.
Ray is an avid sports fan and fitness enthusiast. In addition to numerous training and coaching certifications, Ray holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Hamilton College in upstate New York.
Mimi Brown
senior communicationS COACH AND TRAINER
High-energy and high-impact keynote speaker, trainer, and coach Mimi Brown is a treasured Bluestone affiliate, leading corporate training programs that inspire and elevate the whole team, while at the same time providing practical tips for instantaneous improvement.
Mimi specializes in inspiring and elevating sales teams, and deepening the leadership mindset for executives and emerging leaders.
Mimi holds a bachelor’s in communications from Michigan State and is the President of the National Speakers Association Michigan Chapter.
Margaret Baxter
senior executive communications coach and director of administration
Margaret Baxter has spent a career helping executives and their organizations cut through the clutter to focus on what’s important so they can perform with greater confidence, efficiency, and success. Drawing on past leadership roles at OESA (now MEMA), Inteva Products, and CADIA, Margaret brings first hand knowledge of the demands of corporate, nonprofit, and start-up environments and what it takes for leaders to thrive in each. No matter the setting, she excels at finding clarity amid chaos to clear the way for others to do their best work.
At Bluestone, Margaret provides strategic guidance on Bluestone training and coaching initiatives, helping to design client programs that get results. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and French from the University of Wisconsin and a Master’s in Modern French History and Art History from Middlebury College.
