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Noeleen McGrath

Director of Executive Coaching, Crisis & Media Training at Ballast Group

Noeleen is an award-winning television news journalist for 12 years at the network and local levels. Her years of interviewing executives convinced her to develop programs that emphasized messaging, on-camera, live and crisis communication skills. McGrath works primarily with executives in Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 companies. Her team’s success stems from the ability to coach clients through worst-case scenarios, confrontational reporters and “ambush” interviews. Noeleen is the winner of the National Edward R. Murrow award and has received awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, including ones for continuing coverage for the Columbine High School shootings and Breaking News Reporting, as well as various Associated Press awards for breaking news, sports coverage and feature stories.

McGrath started her television news career at CNN’s Chicago bureau when she was a junior in college. After three years of working behind the camera as a producer at CNN, Noeleen moved in front of the camera as a local news anchor and reporter. Now her main focus is executive media training, specifically crisis communication. She has prepped executives and athletes from Nike on topics including labor issues to Michael Vick to steroid use among athletes. She has also worked with Chicago Public Schools, executives and managers in the pharmaceutical industry, politicians under fire and attorneys involved in high profile cases.In addition, she has done extensive work on national level exercises for Homeland Security including top DC officials to local first responders during drills that test our country’s preparedness during a terrorist attack. She has worked with the first Hispanic State’s Attorney in the history of Cook County to help get her elected after being a longshot.

When Noeleen isn’t working, you can find her on the beach, playing 2s volleyball or walking her rescue dog, Molly.