How to Find Clarity When the World Feels Loud | Mikaya Thurmond | TEDxNCState

About this video

From breaking newsrooms to personal crises, chaos is inevitable, but confusion doesn’t have to be. Mikaya Thurmond shares what high-stakes communication experiences have taught her about staying grounded, thinking clearly, and responding with intention when the world feels overwhelming. This talk is a guide to cutting through noise and finding clarity when it matters most. Mikaya Thurmond is a communications strategist, former television news anchor, and founder and CEO of Milan Public Relations. With more than 15 years of experience, she has worked at the intersection of media, leadership, and high-stakes messaging. She spent seven years anchoring at WRAL in Raleigh, where she rose from reporter to weekday anchor, earning two Associated Press awards and four Emmy nominations. National outlets including CNN, The Weather Channel, CBS Evening News, and NBC’s Today Show regularly called on her for live breaking news coverage. Today, Mikaya advises executives and mission-driven organizations on crisis communication and strategic storytelling. In 2025, she was named one of Ragan’s Top Women in Communications in the Crisis Navigator category. A graduate of Harvard University and the University of Georgia, she also teaches visual storytelling at NC State University and serves as a scholarship benefactor through the North Carolina Education Scholarship Fund. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx