WALL MEDIA

The Hon Kristina Keneally

Kristina Keneally is well-known as the first female Premier of . Leading the biggest state in Australia Kristina showed toughness, dignity, style and integrity that won respect and admiration. In 2003 Kristina was elected the Member for Heffron in the NSW Parliament.

Appointed to Cabinet in 2007, she had the privilege of serving the people of New South Wales as a Minister in the portfolios of Planning, Infrastructure, Disability Services, Ageing, World Youth Day and Redfern Waterloo. In 2009, Kristina became the 42nd Premier of New South Wales, serving to 2011. The daughter of an Australian-born mother and an American father, Kristina grew up in the United States of America playing both basketball and soccer. She holds a BA in Political Science (Hons) and a MA in Religious Studies from the University of Dayton.

After politics, Kristina returned to sports – as an administrator, not a player – in 2011, joining Basketball Australia as Chair and then later taking on the role of CEO, a position she held until 2014. Today Kristina’s primary responsibility is ‘at-home mother’, though whilst her teen-age sons are in school slips out of the house a few times a week to host To The Point and other television programs on .

Kristina also appears regularly on Network Ten’s ‘Studio10’ and writes opinion pieces for The Guardian and the Sydney Morning Herald on a range of topics, including public policy, and the Catholic Church. Kristina is the mother of 3 children: Daniel (aged 16), Brendan (aged 14), and Caroline, who was stillborn.

Kristina is the Patron of Stillbirth Foundation Australia, promoting awareness, understanding, support and research into stillbirth. She serves as an Ambassador for Opportunity Australia International, an organisation that transforms the lives of some of the world’s poorest women by providing microfinance loans in India, Indonesia and the Philippines. Kristina is a keen fan and a Board Director of Souths’ charitable arm, Souths Cares.

By virtue of her marriage to Mayor Ben Keneally, she is also a Mayoress, which means she often has an opportunity to wear pearls in public. In July 2015 Kristina was appointed as an Adjunct Professor and Director for Gender Inclusion at the Macquarie Graduate School of Management where she mentors women students and leads the school’s effort to boost the number of women undertaking MBAs. http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/former-premier-kristina-keneally-happy-to-take- part-in-politics-again-in-her-new-tv-role-at-sky/story-fni0cx2y-1227054343969 http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/blogs/the-tribal-mind/a-politician-joins-the-enemy- 20140503-37oey.html

Kristina Keneally is exclusively represented by Wall Media. To engage Kristina for press, radio, television, or presentation engagements or to discuss speaking topics contact Peter Wall at Wall Media on 0408 489 057 or www.wallmedia.com.au Some Kristina Keneally speaking topics:

Leadership in adverse times

Women in Leadership

Work-life balance

Motherhood

Religion & Catholicism

Elite and recreational sport

Politics

Public policy

Change management

Cracking the glass ceiling

What people have said about Kristina:

Kristina was a delight to deal with. Her presentation was most engaging and very well received. She was effortlessly articulate and delivered key messages around the importance of work/life flexibility, and having a written ‘statement of purpose’ to refer to as circumstances change throughout your life. Kristina also provided a valuable message to the women in the room – be confident, back yourself and don’t be unreasonable in your self-belief.

All in all, the event was a great success.

Karina Lynch Project Manager James Cook University

Kristina was FABULOUS and so lovely, I’m such a big fan!.She was really well received and our delegates were quite captivated – she truly was a highlight to work with.”

Annie Hart – Events Administrator – Club Managers Association Australia

The ACU National Student Leadership Summit was a wonderful success. Kristina’s keynote address and Q&A was engaging, entertaining and very relevant for the emerging young ACU leaders. The students were also very appreciative that Kristina was happy to meet with them individually after her keynote and they could get some photos with her.

Eric Robinson Student Leadership Coordinator | Australian Catholic University “Kristina’s talk went down very well – a standing ovation no less! Her presentation was well researched and delivered with dignity. Many people commented on her engaging style and that they stayed tuned in for its entirety. The content and Kristina’s perspective certainly resonated with the vast majority of our 1,500+ attendees.”

Ross Horner – Director Leadership and School Development -Townsville Catholic Education.

Photo: Sky News