As SVP and Director of Talent Acquisition at Rubenstein, Christina Stokes has seen firsthand what helps organizations attract and keep top talent. She sees her job not just as filling roles but about creating environments where people can thrive.
In this episode of Taking the Lead, she discusses why mental health must be treated as a business priority, how DEI fuels stronger teams and better results, and the unexpected leadership lessons she has carried from her mentors and her background in music.
Here are excerpts from the full video interview:
Who are the three leaders, either inside or outside the PR industry, that you think are the most inspiring, and why?
Whenever I get asked this question, I never think of celebrities or big industry names. I lean toward the people who have mentored me directly. They’re the ones I seek to emulate and who have inspired me most in my field.
My top three are Erika Weinstein, Angela Calzone, and Jason Boltax. All have been supervisors in recruitment and HR who took the time to help me hone my skills. They’re great humans who genuinely care, and years after working together we still keep in touch. Their influence has shaped my values, my work, and my life.
You hold two certificates related to mental health. Why do you think mental health is such a great concern, and why must leaders step up and be proactive about their team members’ mental health?
I think it’s a three-part process. First, it starts with personal connection. I’ve always been an avid pursuer of maintaining my own balance and mental health, and I prioritize that for my child, my family, and my friendships. I’m always the one saying, “Therapy’s great.”
Second, professionally, mental health has a clear business impact and leaders need to prioritize it across the board. My certificates are in mental health first aid and workplace mental health, and I believe leaders must be equipped to support whole humans, not just employees. People are much more than the face you see in the boardroom, and we need to remember that human element.
Finally, we have to acknowledge the reality of the past five years: remote work, isolation, hybrid schedules, talent shortages, and retention challenges across industries. In PR especially, burnout is common and mental health issues directly impact turnover. Leaders must create environments where people feel comfortable being honest about their struggles and know how to recognize early warning signs of stress or burnout.
In talent acquisition, I see how mental health affects job performance, interview anxiety, and career transitions. Leaders who truly understand this will hire better and retain talent more effectively for the long term.
Anyone who knows anything about you knows you’re an advocate for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Clearly, DEI is under fire. How can organizations maintain their commitments to it in this environment?
At Rubenstein, I helped found our DEI Council, and I’m still active today. The climate is more hostile than even a year ago, but DEI remains a business necessity, not a political agenda.
Abandoning it is a long-term strategic mistake. DEI expands talent access, drives innovation, and strengthens relationships. Diverse teams consistently outperform homogenous ones. The ROI is clear when measured.
To maintain commitments, continue diverse interview panels, bias training, inclusive job descriptions, and employee resource groups. Hold leadership accountable with measurable goals. This is good for people and for business.
I’ve been public about my view that the PR industry promotes executives from management to leadership because they’re great at PR, comms, digital, biz dev and growing client budgets, without always taking into account the specific leadership skills required. What’s your take on that?
I’m completely in your camp on this. Technical skills and client know-how do not automatically translate into being a great people leader. That does not come naturally to everyone. The person bringing in the most business or doing the best client work may not be suited to managing a team of 30 people, and that’s okay.
Some people who aren’t your top performers might actually be your best managers. In hiring, I look beyond technical skills. I pay attention to how someone talks about developing others, not just delivering results. If they’ve managed people before, I want to know what that looked like. I often try to speak to a former direct report to understand how they handle conflict, give feedback, and build trust.
It’s about having a growth mindset rather than a fixed mindset, being curious about the people, culture, and team, not just the processes and clients. Organizations need to be intentional about developing leaders rather than simply promoting top performers and expecting them to succeed without support.
We don’t really talk much about PR in this podcast, but we both freely give advice to PR newcomers and job seekers. What’s the most important thing a candidate can do today, to stand out from the pack and get noticed by people like you?
I respond most to authenticity over perfection. I want to see your actual work: your portfolio, case studies, and measurable results. I love when people are honest about the challenges they’ve faced, how they overcame them, and where they see opportunities to grow.
I’m looking for cultural fit as much as skills fit. Relationship-building is key. Following up after an interview in a meaningful way is very different from sending a generic thank-you note. Engage with the company’s content, build relationships in the industry even when you’re not job hunting, and be consistent in your story across LinkedIn, your resume, and your interview answers.
I also love to see passion about why this role, why this company. That specificity shows genuine interest, even in a tough job market where you may be applying to many roles.
I just learned that you have a diploma in Music and Music Theory. What have you learned about leadership from the world of music?
Music is a conversation. When you’re making music or listening to it, you have to hear others and respond appropriately. Leadership is the same way. It requires listening to what’s said and what’s not said.
Timing matters. Knowing when to lead, when to follow, when to stay silent, and when to listen is essential. In my role in talent acquisition, I look for people who can complement, not duplicate, existing strengths. Just like in music, you don’t need everyone playing the same notes. It’s about how all the parts work together to create something stronger.
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Ken Jacobs, PCC, CPC, ELI-MP, is a sought-after executive coach helping PR and communications leaders, agency owners, and senior executives lead with confidence, inspire their teams, and drive lasting business growth. As principal of Jacobs Consulting & Executive Coaching, he draws on more than 25 years in agency leadership. To the leaders who shape the PR world, Ken is a trusted partner in unlocking their full leadership potential. Connect with him at www.jacobscomm.com, [email protected], on LinkedIn on Instagram @ken.jacobs.
