Christina channels her creative passion for storytelling to help companies, influencers and nonprofits tell their story to key audiences with a culturally competent lens. She is the CEO of Audrey & Janie, LLC, a communications consulting firm, loving named for and inspired by her two grandmothers. She is also an executive-level consultant for global companies and agencies with Agents & Strategies (A&S), a communications and cultural insights firm.
Christina started in the field of broadcast journalism delivering news on radio and television. Her commitment to expanding her knowledge in the communications field led her to pursue marketing communications and public relations. She has worked for several award-winning agencies handling global accounts from the chemical and HVAC industries to global food service, financial, consumer packaged goods, technology, sustainability and nonprofit companies.
Christina is a multi-dimensional creative with experience as a podcast host, TV show host, adjunct professor, writer, and film producer. She is also a life-long advocate for community causes in the areas of education, youth, journalism, social justice, art and entertainment, and literacy.
She received her B.S. in Journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and her M.A in Strategic Communication from the University of Missouri-Columbia’s School of Journalism. She is currently an adjunct professor and V.I.P. Fellow at DePaul University in Chicago, IL.
- PR Week 40 under 40 Rising Star
- Chicago Defender Woman of Excellence
- Bulldog Reporter, Best Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Program
- WVON and Ariel Investments 40 under 40 Gamechangers in Chicago
- Publicity Club of Chicago Silver Trumpet Award
- Publicity Club of Chicago Golden Trumpet Award
- PR Week Honorable Mention
- Best Integrated Marketing Award, McDonald’s
- Public Relations Society of America Best Campaign
- PR News Best Multicultural Campaign
- National Association of Black Journalists Salute to Excellence Award
- PR Week 40 under 40 Rising Star
- Chicago Defender Woman of Excellence
- Bulldog Reporter, Best Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Program
- WVON and Ariel Investments 40 under 40 Gamechangers in Chicago
- Publicity Club of Chicago Silver Trumpet Award
- Publicity Club of Chicago Golden Trumpet Award
- PR Week Honorable Mention
- Best Integrated Marketing Award, McDonald’s
- Public Relations Society of America Best Campaign
- PR News Best Multicultural Campaign
- National Association of Black Journalists Salute to Excellence Award
She is a member of the Black Public Relations Society Chicago Chapter, National Association of Black Journalists, Sophisticates, Inc., and Just 4 Girlfriends. She currently serves on the board of the Chicago Reader. She is co-chair of the DePaul student chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists and serves on the Dean’s Advisory Council for the College of Communications at DePaul University.
She previously served on the Diversity and Internship Committees at Golin and served as Chairman of the Board for the Chicago State Foundation. She also served on the board for Open Books, Girls Like Me Foundation, the South Side Community Art Center, Publicity Club of Chicago, and the American Diabetes Association Executive Committee. A native of Chicago’s south suburbs, she is married and currently resides in Chicago and Atlanta.
— Christina Steed
