How Ready is Your Organization for a Crisis?

305 Wood Street,Pittsburgh PA 15222

10 November, 2021

Description

Interactive workshop to understand critical steps needed to communicate successfully in times of crisis. Saying the right thing when responding to a crisis is just as important as making good operational decisions. How ready and confident are you to respond effectively to a crisis in your organization? Join PRSA Pittsburgh and Point Park University PRSSA for an interactive workshop at the University’s Center for Media Innovation (CMI) on November 10, 2021. With training led by Pittsburgh-based strategic communication and crisis management firm, C4CS®, you’ll gain a better understanding of the critical steps that are needed to communicate successfully in times of crisis. The experts from C4CS® and the CMI will discuss how to develop a framework to both prepare for and effectively respond to the challenges in a crisis. Following the presentation, attendees will break out into small groups to participate in a short crisis communication exercise – and best practices will be shared afterward. This in-person event will take place at Point Park’s CMI studios. Space is limited, and masks are required regardless of vaccination status. Please register to ensure a spot. About the speakers:Cynthia Cavendish-CareyAs a seasoned business, marketing and strategic communication professional, Cynthia Cavendish-Carey has developed a specialty in reputation management and crisis preparedness planning throughout her career. She has a proven track record of building highly differentiated brands for global, national and regional clients, helping them to effectively navigate and manage business challenges and positively impact the bottom line. Cynthia possesses broad experience with developing unified crisis management plans, tools and scenario-based crisis readiness tests including tabletop exercises and war games, as well as developing communications for brand protection and reputation management purposes. Throughout her career, Cynthia has built dynamic business, marketing and strategic communication plans, implementing them successfully to add profitable scale for organic growth. She possesses a keen understanding of the mergers and acquisitions arena and managing organizational change, having led or participated on teams that integrated over $24 billion in assets under management. Her expertise also includes deep experience in analyzing her clients’ competitive landscapes and using this information and research to craft differentiated positions for their markets and businesses. Andrew ConteAndrew Conte serves as founding director of the Center for Media Innovation at Point Park University. He writes the Pittsburgh Public Editor column at NEXTpittsburgh. Previously, he worked as an investigative journalist, and he has authored several nonfiction books. Most recently, Andrew worked as an investigative reporter at the Tribune-Review, where he won numerous national, state and local awards. The Pennsylvania Society of Professional Journalists and the Press Club of Western Pennsylvania each has recognized Andrew with its top award four times. The Scripps Howard Foundation honored Andrew with the William Brewster Styles Award for outstanding national business and economics reporting. Andrew holds degrees from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism and Dickinson College, as well as a Ph.D. in Community Engagement from Point Park University. Camille DowningCamille Downing is a full-time faculty member in the School of Communication at Point Park University where she teaches public relations and integrated marketing communications courses at the graduate and undergraduate level. She is also president of Downing Communications, an independent consultancy that specializes in nonprofit public relations and marketing communications. Her clients have included numerous hospitals, universities and social service agencies in Pittsburgh and across the state. As a communications professional with more than 30 years of experience in all facets of strategic communications planning and implementation, Downing brings a unique blend of talent and expertise to both the classroom and the board room. Downing is a board member for PRSA Pittsburgh, serving as its student liaison and is the faculty advisor for the PRSSA chapter at Point Park. Additionally, she has been actively involved in the International Association of Business Communicators for more than 25 years serving in leadership roles at the local, regional and international level. She helped found the IABC Heritage Region, which incorporates 19 chapters in the northeast and Midwestern part of the United States, and served as the region's first regional director. She was the co-chair of the IABC Heritage Region Conference for three years and served in a leadership role for the conference for 12 years. Anne Linaberger Anne brings more than three decades of experience in media, strategic communication, marketing, community relations, and public relations. Anne has worked in on-air and management roles at various commercial television and radio stations, including 20 years at KDKA/WPCW-TV, the top-rated CBS owned and operated television stations in Pittsburgh, her last eight years as News Director. Anne's experience as a journalist provides inside knowledge as she works with clients to provide media training, and executive presentation coaching. Anne is a graduate of Allegheny College and holds her Masters in Integrated Marketing Communication from West Virginia University. In her free time Anne serves as a community volunteer in leadership positions including board president and marketing and communications committee chair on boards of directors of multiple nonprofit organizations. Oliver S. SchmidtOliver S. Schmidt has more than 25 years of consulting, training, and executive coaching experience in the areas of strategic communication, crisis management, and organizational leadership. He speaks multiple languages and has lived and worked in North America, Europe, and Asia. Mr. Schmidt routinely advises business leaders including the CEOs and members of the board of directors of publicly listed and privately held corporations regarding high-stakes business issues. On the consulting side, his focus is on working with domestic and international client partners in the areas of crisis and risk communication, issues and reputation management, and risk and crisis management. In confidential executive coaching sessions, Mr. Schmidt helps senior managers improve their crisis management, communication, and leadership skills. His holistic coaching approach is geared toward enhancing important leadership capabilities including effective decision making, winning over key stakeholders, public speaking and media interview skills, and becoming a more confident and successful leader. PRSA Pittsburgh is one of the largest chapters within the East Central District, one of 10 PRSA districts. The East Central District represents members in 16 PRSA chapters concentrated in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Western and Northwestern Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The PRSA Pittsburgh Mission: To create, educate, and empower a diverse community of communications professionals who value the role that public relations plays in their careers, their organizations, and the region. Our Value Proposition: PRSA Pittsburgh believes public relations serves an increasingly vital role in the leadership, business, marketing, and communications functions of all organizations, and we aim to provide our members with the tools, support, education, and networking to play this role in their respective organizations. We do this through: Encouraging research, analysis, and discussion of the challenges and opportunities facing PR professionals today. Strengthening and maintaining the highest standards of service and ethical conduct by all members of the profession. Supporting the creation of mutually beneficial relationships between our members where diverse ideas, strategies and tactics can be shared. Recognizing, rewarding, and sharing our members’ accomplishments.