As senior vice president, External Relations, and president of General Mills Community Action and the General Mills Foundation, Christina L. Shea oversees and coordinates the company’s relationships with key external constituencies, including policy makers, industry associations, and the media. 

She oversees Corporate Communications, Government Relations and General Mills’ Community Action initiatives, including the General Mills Foundation’s $20.2 million (2006) awarded to education, social service, youth nutrition and fitness, arts and cultural programs and organizations around the country.  Her responsibilities include corporate contributions, strategic philanthropy, food donations, direct social investments and employee volunteerism.

Under Shea, General Mills’ total corporate philanthropy exceeded $74 million in 2006.

Shea was named president of General Mills Community Action and the General Mills Foundation in June 2002, and to her current position in May 2005.

Shea comes to General Mills’ community programs with more than 25 years of marketing and general management experience.  She began her General Mills career in 1977 as a marketing assistant, and her career has included leadership positions in the Big G cereal, Yoplait/Colombo, Gold Medal, Snacks and Betty Crocker divisions.

She led the Betty Crocker division as president from 1994 to 1999, before assuming leadership of the New Ventures division, where she led a multidisciplinary team dedicated to identifying and executing strategies that capitalize on growth opportunities.  Shea was elected a senior vice president of General Mills in 1998.

Shea serves on the board of Amos Tuck School of Business, as well as in various community leadership roles, including the Conference Board Contributions Council, which focuses on corporate charitable giving and on the board of Minnesota Women’s Economic Roundtable.  Past leadership assignments include the Minnesota Keystone Advisory Committee, the Walker Art Center Board, the Minneapolis Children’s Theatre Board, Success by Six, Interfaith Outreach Community Partners and the Minnesota Citizens League.

Shea earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology in 1975 from Boston College and an MBA. in 1977 from Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.