Kerri Garbis

President and co-founder of Ovation Communication, Kerri Garbis has trained hundreds of executives internationally on presentation skills, storytelling for business, etiquette, and emotional intelligence. She is a Business Etiquette Expert, certified by The Emily Post Institute, and an Emotional Intelligence Expert, certified by The Hay Group. A professional actress since childhood, she has starred in productions of Evita, Singin’ In The Rain, and The Lady With All the Answers (a one-woman play about Ann Landers), to name a few. You may also have seen her catching a pass from a New England Patriot, singing a Christmas carol, or complaining of bloating in a television commercial. She is a member of Actors’ Equity Association.

Best Lesson Learned at BSA: Art is the great equalizer. I learned not everyone thinks like me or comes from a similar background, yet each of us has a story to share.

Most Awkward BSA Moment: Through BSA I got some very cool opportunities to perform at events outside the school. One time, I was asked to sing somewhere and, for whatever reason, Donald Hicken, the head of Theatre Department, drove me to the event. I was a cocky and inexperienced performer and just arrived at the event without my sheet music for the accompanist. (I assumed he’d have my music. He did not.) Donald had to drive me to my house so I could rummage through my bedroom to find the music. I returned to the gig in shame. Trust me, I have never done that again.

Funniest BSA Memory: Another time I was singing with the chorus at a large dinner event that was hosted outside of school. Unfortunately a young tenor, named Kerry, got sick during the performance and threw-up right in the middle of a song on the stage. We all held it together and finish strong that night. The next day at school the word had gotten out that “Kerry threw-up on stage.” I was asked about it all day long. I was so relieved it wasn’t me, and more than happy to explain it was boy Kerry.