Biography

Connecting Audiences to “Moments of Clarity that Can Change Lives”

If you're looking for an award-winning professional speaker, performer, vocalist, humorist, journalist, dynamic motivator, brand management guru and workplace stress management expert, look no further. Top speaker and presenter Michelle Courtney Berry has delivered more than 2,500 inspiring, motivational, engaging and content-rich talks, keynotes and workshops to audiences in the United States, Canada and Africa. 

As President and CEO of Courtney Consulting Enterprises, LLC, since 1992, Michelle ensures that executives, presidents, board members and other volunteers, and staff at municipalities, foundations, law enforcement agencies, corporations, small businesses, civic organizations, school districts and other 21st century thought leaders develop the right road map to lead for tomorrow— today. 

With a graduate degree in Communications from Cornell and extensive national and international experience in leadership development, crisis management and coaching top managers to excellence, Michelle has appeared on “Good Morning America” and been featured in “O-The Oprah Winfrey Magazine.” She has also opened for His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and Dr. Maya Angelou. 

Michelle’s approach is rooted in the 3C’s— inspiring confidence, commitment and customer excellence so clients avoid burnout, implement solutions that work and build bridges across boundaries.  Through her transformative, charismatic, gregarious and empowering presence, Michelle guides today's leaders on how to lead productive personal and professional lives by integrating the 3I’s –Integrity, Innovation and Image Management. 

Certifications and Distinctions

• Internationally certified critical incidence stress de-briefer 

• Internationally certified Reiki Master Teacher 

• Nationally certified cultural competence instructor

• Marketing Communications Adjunct Faculty Member for Graduate and Undergraduate Students at Binghamton University, Cornell University, & Ithaca College

• Seasoned interviewer and interviewee with international news media

• Former TV journalist (The White House and Capitol Hill)

• Former spokesperson (The City of Binghamton and Cornell’s b-school)

• Former Alternate Acting Mayor and Alderperson for the City of Ithaca

Over 1,000 satisifed clients. Here’s just a few:

• Barnes & Noble, Inc.

• BAE Systems

• Cornell University

• Hilton

• IBM

• Lockheed Martin

• Lourdes Hospital

• Michigan Department of Agriculture

• Ramada 

• The American Cancer Society

• The American Heart Association

• Upstate Medicare

• Verizon

The author of "Breathe," and over 100 articles and columns on workplace wellness, stress management, communication and parenting, Michelle has several upcoming business titles:  “Courting the Bully- 5 Ways to Break the Attraction, Hunger Cycle and Just Move On,” “Bad Boss/Good Boss/Best Boss,” “Seven Days to Working Well,” and “Enough Already- Horizontal Parenting Tips and other Survival Strategies for Old Parents with Little Kids."

Michelle has served on a digital library funding panel for the National Science Foundation and on the Governor’s Literature Panel for the New York State Council on the Arts. She is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the National Association of Female Executives and is a Founding Premier Member of the Women Speakers Association.

A former fellow in the Africa-based Could You? (www.couldyou.org) and a summer scholar at the Institute on Political Journalism at Georgetown University and at Vassar College, Michelle is a mom, blogger, people person, hiker and humorist.

She devotes her life to helping her audiences discover those “moments of clarity that can change lives.” Follow her on Twitter @michelleberry67 and read more at www.michellecourtneyberry.com