Speaking
Christine is an author, and speaker. After surviving 25 surgeries and being tired of hearing stories of what she couldn’t achieve, she went on to be an award-winning novelist, an instructor in the NYPD’s Police Academy, and the first female Director of Watch Command at NYC Emergency Management. She is now passionate about guiding you through the process of changing your thinking and re-igniting your passion.
Christine brings a sense of adventure to her storytelling to influence transformational change. We all love stories; Christine will help you focus on the right stories. You may have seen Christine speak at TEDX Deer Park, Book Con, the National Homeland Security Conference, or featured on CNN.
Speaker Topics
I Am Scared the World Will Notice I Am….
Being different isn’t always easy, especially when others don’t know much about the thing that makes you different. Christine was born with a cleft lip and palate. After spending her life hearing inaccuracies about the birth defect, she wants to increase awareness and acceptance of the condition. Based on her own experience, The Day Bert Smiled explores the reality of a child having a cleft repair surgery. It gently teaches children about the condition and includes a way to show their support for a child affected by a cleft.
In this interactive presentation children will:
- Learn about cleft lip and palate
- Explore what makes them different
- Turn their difference into support for someone else
- Create a get well card to be sent to a child around the world with a cleft
You are Unique: What Makes You Different is your Superpower
Being seen as different can be hard. By teaching kids their differences are their superpower and to embrace the differences in others, we change lives. 20% of children are bullied nationwide, rates are even higher for children with visual differences. Bullying impacts school administrators and teachers by pulling them away from the important work of educating our children. For parents and children, bullying can hold them back from building a positive self-image and keeping up with their classmates in school.
Born with a cleft lip and palate, Christine has had over twenty-five surgeries and navigated childhood with some good friends and a strong support system. While many kids were afraid to be different, she often found that her differences were a strength of hers. It’s a skill that has helped her achieve what others thought she couldn’t, not the least of which included rising to the rank of Sergeant in the NYPD. Now, she helps children develop that skill at a young age so they can have a lifetime of success and joy.
Through the lens of The Too Tall Giraffe, Christine will help students:
- Explore how each of us is different
- Reframe their differences to understand their value
- Examine ways they can include all children in their activities
Turning Your Story Inside Out: Creating powerful mind shifts to create possibility and purpose
We are limited in what we can achieve based on what we believe is possible and as a result, the majority of people struggle with expressing their true potential. It causes depression, decreased performance at work, and a loss of purpose. Until 1954 it was believed that running a four-minute mile was impossible. Since then, 1,400 male athletes have surpassed that time. What do you want to achieve that you believe is not possible?
Identifying the stories we have in our heads that keep us stuck in limiting beliefs is key to opening up the world of possibility, play, and performance. When you shift your thinking, we then have the ability to find a deeper purpose and passion that drives us to freedom, success and happiness at home and in the workplace.
In this motivational presentation you will:
- Identify stories that are holding you back from your happiness.
- Shed the beliefs that are holding you back to gain a new freedom and joy.
- Create new beliefs that empower you.
- Discover a deeper purpose that inspires you to achieve things you never thought were possible.
Influencing Patient Outcomes: A Lasting Legacy for Patients
In the US, approximately 600,000 individuals have been diagnosed with a craniofacial condition. One in 1600 children are born with a cleft lip and palate in the US each year. Years of surgeries and medical procedures leave a lasting impact on patients. They may struggle with small things that seem insignificant or have lifelong issues related to trauma.Having had over twenty-five surgeries, Christine has come to understand what works in creating valuable relationships with patients and the lasting impact it can have. Combining a patient oriented mindset, with the use of best practices, doctors and their key team members can influence the patient experience long after the patient leaves their care.
In this high impact presentation, you will:
- Develop the mindset needed to best serve patients with craniofacial syndromes
- Explore the importance of best practices in creating confidence with patients
- Identify methods of creating a lasting legacy with your patients
Confused, Conflicted, and Disconnected: Recruiting and retaining women in policing
Nationwide, women only make up 13% of uniformed Police, a number that has been stagnant for 20 years. During a period when law enforcement is under scrutiny for high profile use of force complaints, it’s time to increase the number of women in law enforcement.
Explore the culture of policing and how it impacts women and their identities so you can build strategies to improve recruitment and retention of women.
In this dynamic presentation, I will:
- Examine the masculine culture of policing.
- Study the impact women have on policing.
- Explore how successful women assimilate to the culture and the impact it has on them.
- Evaluate strategies for recruiting and retaining women in law enforcement.
Thriving in a Man’s World: Strategies to integrate women in male workplaces
57% of College Degrees are earned by women, yet 29% of management roles are held by women of the total labor force in the United States. Are woman thriving or surviving in male dominated professions and workplaces? How can we attract and retain more women in these fields as well as allow them to show their true potential.
Women in male dominated fields may experience a role conflict between expectations and work and at home. They are often taught ways to work around the cultural differences between men and women, without addressing the conflicting role women face. How can we improve the workplace environment for women in male dominated workplaces?
In this high impact presentation, you will:
- Define how the culture in male dominated workplaces impact woman and their identities.
- Identify areas where unconscious bias may exist in your workplace.
- Determine indicators that women may not be thriving at work.
- Examine changes that can be made to improve the workplace environment for women.
Download Speaker Sheet
What People Are Saying
Christine is a dynamic speaker with a powerful message. She injects just the right amount of humor to engage the audience. She's proof that we can overcome the odds.
When I heard Christine’s story she was able to command my complete attention, not just her medical past up but how she dealt with and overcame obstacles. She reminded me of the saying, “If you think you’ve got it tough, listen to someone else’s story.” How when she came upon adverse situations and met them head on is inspiring.
Wow! Christine had me write my questions prior to our meeting, so I hoped she'd at least seen my questions and thought about them. When we met, I was blown away by how much she had investigated the answers I needed. She taught me what I needed to understand and do and recorded our conversation so I could go back later and figure out stuff I forgot. I appreciate so much all her care and effort on my behalf.
Speaker request form
