Sharon Delaney McCloud

Managing Partner at McCloud Consulting, Inc.

Women Empowerment

Education: Florida State University
Raleigh, NC, USA

Biography

Sharon Delaney McCloud is an Emmy Award-winning broadcaster, keynote speaker, emcee, host and moderator ready to make your event a smashing success, whether in person or virtual. You can feel confident you're hiring a professional whose number one priority is your audience. With over 30 years of experience on local and national stages, online and on television, Sharon will deliver an exceptional experience for your attendees.

As a Certified Diversity Executive CDE®, agency owner, cancer survivor, Olympic Torch Bearer, author and communications expert, Sharon knows how to get the job done. She helps leaders & companies improve communication & executive presence to drive business results. As "Power Skills Pro," Sharon connects with people, while at the same time, offering actionable insights. She does this through in-person and virtual presentations, webinars and live streams.

Sharon earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication from Florida State University before embarking on a career as a television journalist. From the Persian Gulf War to John Glenn's historic return to space to the Super Bowl to hurricanes, floods, politics and entertainment, she has covered thousands of stories that have affected people's lives on a daily basis.

After leaving television news, Sharon founded Greenroom Communications, a video production and marketing firm, with Kim and Penn Holderness (the XMAS Jammies Family). They worked with big brands like Target, Samsung, H&R Block and Chase Bank. At one point, they even had a reality show on UPtv. In 2016, Greenroom merged with Walk West to become a full-service digital marketing agency that's landed on the INC 5000 list three times in a row.

Sharon has been featured in numerous publications, including Sheryl Sandburg's Option B digital platform, Enterprising Women and co-author of the book, Keep Going, Memoirs of Strength, Courage & PerseverIn December 2019, Sharon had the opportunity to share her big idea with the world on a TEDx stage. Through Giving Vilomahs a Voice, Sharon shows us how to approach conversations with bereaved parents.

Sharon was born in Nairobi, Kenya and spent her early years in East Africa attending schools in Kenya and Tanzania before moving to the United States. In addition to her television career, Sharon worked for the Department of Defense's U.S.O. program and traveled all over the Middle East, Mediterranean and Europe entertaining American troops as part of an all-girl group, The Florida Girls. Sharon is very active in the community and serves on a number of Boards of Director and advisory committees for non-profit organizations in North Carolina. She's married with three kids and during her free time, you'll find Sharon planning their next family vacation. Ask her where her next trip is.

Passion

Empowering people, especially women, and helping them build their executive presence & amplify their voices so we can fill more C-Suites and boardrooms with female leaders. In addition, I'm very passionate about giving vilomahs a voice. That was the big idea I presented at TEDx Cary Women in December 2019, an opportunity to share with the world why bereaved parents need a name and a voice. Learn more here>> https://www.vilomahvoice.com/

Featured Video

I am willing to travel

More than 100 miles

When it comes to payments

Everything is negotiable

Topics

women in business womens empowerment leadership communication inspiration cancer marketing video production public speaking executive presence breast cancer professional development tedx speaker bereavement grief personal branding video marketing virtual speaker certified virtual speaker virtual keynotes diversity equity inclusion dei crisis communications on camera tips privilege walk humor in business levity in leadership journalism media training motivational speaker motivational speeches

Best Story

The a-ha moment for me was meeting one-on-one with the President of the United States after a letter I wrote to the White House ended up on his desk. The power of words is real. I believe people can change hearts and minds with the right approach, positive intent and a strong message.

Origin Story

Born to Irish immigrants, Sharon has the gift of gab. You might need to tell her to take a breath to get a word in.
As a natural storyteller (see above), Sharon spent 20 years as an Emmy Award-winning television news journalist before starting her own agency. She's an obsessive fan of all things Florida State University, where Sharon got her degree in Communication with minors in Music and Theater. She also worked for the Department of Defense and traveled the world with the USO as part of an all-girl group, The Florida Girls. Racks up lots of mileage as a mom to two boys who busy themselves with tennis matches and chess showdowns between epic games of Clue and Qwirkle.

Example talks

Prepare Yourself for the Media Hot Seat: Top Tips from a Newsroom Insider

With the prevalence of cellphone videos, YouTube, blogs, vlogs, podcasts, and live streaming, you are always "ON”. Whether it's a quick comment to a reporter on Zoom or a lengthy sit-down interview in a television studio, you need to know how to navigate today’s ever-changing media landscape. In this multi-media-packed keynote presentation, Emmy Award-winning television journalist Sharon Delaney McCloud will provide an insider’s playbook so you can feel more confident the next time you’re in the hot seat.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Learn about the rules of engagement for media and the Interviewee’s Bill of Rights
- Learn why you should never say “no comment” and what to say instead to create compelling messages
- Hone your on-camera presence, what to wear and NOT to wear on-camera

Having a Voice, Not Merely a Seat at the Table: Powerful Strategies to Amplify Your Voice

In group settings, men are 75% more likely to speak up than women. And when a woman does speak up, it's statistically probable that her male counterparts will either interrupt her or speak over her. What does this mean? It means, even in the professional world today, if you're not ready to fight to be heard through ally-building strategies, your potential could be silenced. In this engaging, actionable session, Sharon will explore tactics and techniques to amplify your voice figuratively (and literally) and hone your message to make certain that your voice is heard - so that you truly have a voice, and not just a seat, at the table.

Format: 60-minute keynote or breakout session. It also can be done virtually using Zoom, WebEx, Google Hangouts or other technology. This program is perfect for:
Female leaders struggling to be heard by colleagues; Teams who strive to improve workplace communication; The audience will leave with:
Ways to amplify their voices, both figuratively and literally;
Message development tactics to strengthen their communication; Understanding how body language and vocal delivery affect their overall communication

Elevate Your Executive Presence and Personal Brand

As an established executive, aiming to grow your influence, thought leadership and business acumen require a growth mindset that leads to transformational breakthroughs. Aligning mindshare with the ability to command a room is the DNA of executive presence. In this high-energy, interactive keynote, Sharon teaches the three key elements to build your executive presence and personal brand so you can make an impact on your professional and personal life.
LEARN:
- Actionable strategies to build your executive presence
- Learn why gravitas, communication, and appearance matter in today's business climate
- About useful technology hacks to help you continue working on your communication skills
- Practical steps to become a LinkedIn All Star to boost your personal brand

Building Resilience in Times of Constant Challenges: A Playbook for Today's Professional

In these challenging times when our physical, mental and social well-being are tested continuously, it's crucial that we build a culture of resilience. In this compelling narrative, Emmy Award-winning broadcaster and TEDx Speaker Sharon Delaney McCloud presents an inspirational and actionable playbook that you can use right away in your professional and personal lives.
LEARN:
- 10 steps to build resilience in the workplace and at home
- A deeper understanding of how to use grit and gratitude to overcome negative circumstances
- A different way to approach integrating your professional and personal responsibilities that align with who you are
I deliver this program as a keynote at a variety of conferences to motivate leaders and their teams.

Leveraging Levity in Leadership: Tools for Retention and Team Success

Face it, you've got to retain your top talent and recruit the next rock stars for your team. But now, more than ever before, you have to create an environment where people are motivated and empowered to deliver their very best work while building trusted relationships at the same time. Not an easy task.
During this high-energy presentation, corporate communications pro Sharon Delaney McCloud shows you why and how you need to leverage levity in your leadership toolbox today.
LEARN
- How levity can change the dynamic of your team
- Actionable ways to reduce stress and build bonds by using proven levity lessons & techniques
- Ways to make your team feel like they belong to your organization

Communicating with Confidence and Impact

In an age where the spoken word is quickly being replaced by digital conversations, it's crucial to develop strong communication and presentation skills to make your mark.​ Communicating effectively is one of the most powerful tools any professional can have. The way you speak to someone one-on-one and in front of a group sets the foundation for how people perceive you. Do they take you seriously? Do you command their attention? Or does your vocal inflection or body language turn them off? Learn how to communicate with confidence and impact from Emmy Award-winning journalist and business owner Sharon Delaney McCloud.
LEARN
- Ways to create powerful messaging, whether it's an elevator speech or keynote address
- How body language and vocal delivery affect communication
- Steps to continue practicing techniques learned
I often deliver this presentation at a wide variety of conferences from financial services to construction to healthcare.

TEDx Talk: How & Why You Should Talk to Bereaved Parents

We have a word for a woman whose husband dies (WIDOW), or a child whose parents die (ORPHAN), but what is the word for a parent whose child has died? In the touching and deeply personal talk, Sharon Delaney McCloud introduces us to the word "vilomah" and invites us all to help give a voice to those who experience this unimaginable loss.

This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxCaryWomen, an independent event.

Using Your Privilege to Become an Ally in Your Organization and Beyond

Privilege is a complex topic because people often associate it with affluence, race, or gender and it can often carry a negative connotation. However, in order to move beyond the resistance associated with the notion of privilege and leverage its benefits, we first need to understand it and broaden its scope.

In this interactive session, Certified Diversity Executive Sharon Delaney McCloud will lead your team through an impactful exercise called the Privilege Walk. Then, we'll discuss how to use our advantages to advocate for equity and inclusion across your organizations and communities.

Can be delivered virtually or in-person.