Christina Murray

I attribute my success to two defining influences in my life. The first is my father. From an early age, he consistently affirmed my worth and potential. No matter how many times I failed or fell short, he never responded with anger or disappointment. Instead, he approached every situation with patience, guidance, and the unwavering belief that I would ultimately make the right choices. He held me accountable when necessary, but he also talked me through my mistakes and trusted my ability to grow. That steady encouragement and calm confidence shaped my resilience, self-belief, and commitment to doing what is right.

The second influence has been my health journey. I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at a young age, and as a premature child, I faced numerous health challenges growing up. Later, I encountered additional medical issues, including open-heart surgery less than a year ago. These experiences have been deeply humbling and transformative. They have reinforced my sense of purpose and strengthened my determination. Whether from a hospital bed or on the front lines, I remain committed to showing up and doing the work I feel called to do. Adversity has not deterred me; it has refined me.

My father was a spiritual man who instilled in me a belief in God and a deep sense of faith. While I may not define myself as traditionally religious, I am profoundly spiritual. I believe God governs my life, sustains me, and continues to bless me with strength and opportunity. I am grateful for the compassion and love I carry for others, and I truly believe that purpose is what keeps me going. I am here to serve, to uplift, and to make an impact—and I will continue that work for as long as I am able.

I would say that one of the best things that I live by still right now is: if you really want to make an impact in this world, in your community, or in your family, you have to be the person that does the thing. So whatever that thing is, whatever is needed in your family, whether it's more love, more compassion, more grace, whatever it is, you have to be the person that does the thing. I think that was just so amazing for me. When it comes to leadership, and I've always been in a leadership role, a lot of times we want to hand it off to other people, or we want to get other people to do certain things, but if it's been handed to you, you have to be that person. You have to embody what you say, what you feel, what you think, and be that person. You have to let your reputation feed you. When I decided I was going to be the person that does the thing, when I hear about compassion, kindness, grace, mercy, happiness, joy, all of those wonderful things, I want them to think of me.

I would tell people to live a very hyper-intentional life. You need to be very assertive, very demanding, non-argumentative, but there's no room for negotiation for what you stand for. Know what that is before you enter into this industry, because there's going to be a lot of people who see your energy and see your ability to touch other people, and they want it for themselves. You have to make sure that you are rooted and grounded in what you believe and what you stand for. You cannot enter in this being waverly, or just not sure, or changing about. Do your due diligence, do your work, know who you are and what you stand for, and you'll do great. You won't be easily distracted, or bribed, or changed by the industry. Be hyper-intentional about what you do and what you say, because everything you say you would do, and everything you do, others will say. The second thing would be to understand there will always be people with more money, people who will be wiser, smarter, healthier. There will be people who are perceivably better than you. But there is only you, there's only one you, there's only your voice. So what you have to say matters more than the actual vessel it's coming from. Don't look at yourself in comparison to others, because you won't say what you need to say because of the intimidation of others. You gotta know that if you have something important, and outside of your cup is dirty, doesn't mean the water inside is not good and flavorful or clean. Keep going. I've been in that lineup, and women out there are just gorgeous, and they have money, and they're so pretty, and they just have everything, and I had to catch an Uber. I didn't even have a car at the time to even get to the event. But when I hit that stage and people tell me I needed to hear that, it begins to let me know just how important my voice is, even if I'm not all the way together. There was times I didn't look like the evidence of success. And there's two types of pains in life: the pain of discipline and the pain of regret. You have to choose your level of pain. If you decide to be disciplined, it's gonna burn. You're gonna have to work out, you're gonna have to be healthy - it's a pain to be disciplined, to not eat all that cake, or to not run out into the streets. Or you can eat all that cake, you can not work out, you can go to the places that are a little sketchy, and things can happen, and you can have regret. So you don't want the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.

One of my biggest challenges has been navigating ongoing health issues and financial pressures while continuing to lead and serve at a high level. Those experiences have required resilience, discipline, and faith—but they have also strengthened my focus and determination.

On the opportunity side, expanded visibility and platforms—like this feature—allow me to amplify my voice, reach more women, and build stronger community impact. I’m also exploring civic leadership, including a planned run for city council, as a way to expand my service and make a broader difference.

The values that matter most to me, both personally and professionally, are honesty, integrity, and transparency. I believe in being authentic and allowing people to see who I truly am. I don’t believe in pretending to have all the answers or presenting a version of myself that isn’t real. If I don’t know something, I say so. If I’m still learning or working through a weakness, I’m open about it. I believe it’s okay not to be perfect. I strive to be truthful while also being thoughtful—speaking with honesty, but with grace.

Discipline is another core value for me. I believe that every interaction is an opportunity to give someone an experience of who you are. Whether it’s a brief encounter at the grocery store or a meeting with someone in a position of influence, I aim to show up consistently with excellence and respect. You don’t always get a second chance to make an impression, so how you carry yourself each day truly matters.