Leading Transformational Change in an Uncertain World
This progran is for purpose-driven leaders who feel the gap between conventional approaches and what truly creates lasting change. The Crisis Ready® Certification transforms that tension into your greatest leadership strength.
The Crisis Ready® Certification transforms purpose-driven professionals into visionary leaders who guide meaningful change through connection, clarity, and unwavering alignment. In 6 months, you'll stop reacting to challenges and start using them as catalysts for the transformation you're here to create.
When others freeze in uncertainty, your presence will create immediate reassurance. You'll navigate resistance with grace, speak with resonance that bypasses barriers, and lead from possibility rather than probability. This isn't about managing what is—it's about creating what could be.
Are you ready to become the leader you've always known you could be? Scroll through this page and then book your discovery call!
Just a little taste of the insights and skills you will learn through this program...
You've likely experienced this: sitting in leadership meetings where the default response to uncertainty is control rather than connection. Watching brilliant strategies fail because they ignored the emotional reality of the people involved. Feeling that persistent tension between what your intuition tells you is possible and what conventional wisdom says is practical.
You see the gap between how leadership happens and how it could be.
Your intuition that leadership can be both powerful and compassionate, strategic and heart-centered, is not idealism. It's the future of leadership organizations desperately need.
That tension isn't a problem to solve. It's your portal to becoming the leader you've always known you could be.
The Crisis Ready® Certification transforms your calling into embodied leadership that others naturally trust and follow. When challenges arise, you won't just manage them. You'll use them as catalysts for the meaningful change you're here to create.
What if the leadership challenges you face aren't obstacles to overcome, but invitations to evolve into the leader you've always sensed you could become?
Imagine leading from a place where:
You remain calm and clear even when everyone around you is reactive, not because you're suppressing emotion, but because you've learned to work with it skillfully. Where your presence in high-stakes situations becomes a stabilizing force that helps others access their own clarity and wisdom.
Where the teams and communities you lead don't just weather challenging times—they emerge stronger, more connected, and more aligned with their purpose.
This is embodied Visionary Leadership.
Leaders who have developed the inner clarity and practical skills to guide meaningful change, especially when conventional approaches fall short. Who understand that sustainable transformation happens from the inside out, starting with their own presence and extending to everyone they influence.
This isn't just another certification program. The Crisis Ready® Certification is a deeply transformative experience that evolves how you show up as a leader. Not just in challenging moments, but in every interaction that matters.
🚀 The Transformation
You'll embody a new way of leading that others recognize immediately. There's a presence, a clarity, an authentic authority that draws people in rather than pushing them away.
🧬 Science-Backed and Practical
Learnings draw from neuroscience, psychology, quantum mechanics, and universal laws, combined with proven strategies, to give you a deep understanding of human behavior, leadership, and the power of your influence.
💰 The Value
Leaders who complete this certification don't just gain new skills. They become someone who can hold steady when others are reactive and transform resistance into trust.
🎢 The Process
Over six months, you'll undergo a complete leadership evolution from the inside out. From reactive to responsive. From managing challenges to transforming them.
📚 Real-World Application
You won’t just learn theory—you’ll actively apply your knowledge to create a customized crisis communication program for your organization, making an immediate impact in your role.
🌟 The Impact
You'll create the kind of leadership legacy you've always envisioned. One that transforms not just outcomes, but the people and systems you touch along the way.
Hi, I'm Melissa Agnes, founder of Crisis Ready Institute and creator of the Crisis Ready® Certification.
I'm recognized globally as a thought leader and visionary in high-stakes leadership. I've worked with organizations from NATO and the Pentagon to financial firms, healthcare systems, law enforcement agencies, and countless others across multiple continents. My book, Crisis Ready: Building an Invincible Brand in an Uncertain World, is taught at Harvard and dozens of universities worldwide, was named one of Forbes' top business books of 2018, and is ranked among the leading books of all time in the field. I'm a guest lecturer at Harvard, serve on multiple boards including ZeroNow, and have spoken on stages around the world as a TEDx alumna and international keynote speaker.
Throughout my career, I've been fascinated by one pattern:
People resist doing what's right in challenging moments. Instead of creating connection and leading meaningful change in moments that are primed to do so, they default to control and fear-based decision making—even when those actions create more pain and suffering.
This fascination led me to understand where this resistance comes from: Leaders haven't been set up for success. We've never had a "here's how to navigate uncertainty with courage and authenticity" course in any stage of our society's academic journey. As a result, we haven't been taught how to transform resistance into trust, and control into connection.
But here's the thing: Just because things are doesn't mean they have to be, and you have the power to create meaningful change.
My mission is to create a world of leaders who understand core concepts that aren't taught anywhere else. Leaders who know they have the power to create meaningful change by leaning into authenticity, fostering safety, and transforming what everyone else sees as impossible.
And the Crisis Ready® Certification is how we make that vision a reality.
If any of this speaks to you, I invite you to book a discovery call to explore whether you're ready for this level of leadership transformation.
The Crisis Ready® Certification doesn't just develop skills—it transforms who you are as a leader. Our graduates don't just learn new approaches; they embody a completely different way of showing up when it matters most.
This isn't a course you complete—it's a transformation you embody. Over nine months, you'll undergo a complete leadership evolution that changes not just how you lead, but who you are as a leader.
Stage 1: From Reactive to Visionary (Month 1)
You'll shift from probability-based thinking to possibility-driven leadership. Instead of reacting to what seems most likely, you'll learn to create from vision and expanded potential. This foundational shift affects every decision you make moving forward.
Stage 2: From Disconnected to Coherent (Months 2-4)
You'll develop unshakeable inner coherence—the ability to remain calm, clear, and centered even when everyone around you is reactive. You'll master your emotional states and learn to create the energetic field that helps others regulate alongside you.
Stage 3: From Control to Connection (Months 4-5)
You'll transform your relationship with resistance—both your own and others'. Instead of trying to overcome or avoid it, you'll learn to work with it skillfully, turning moments of tension into opportunities for deeper trust and breakthrough.
Stage 4: From Intellectual to Intuitive (Months 5-6)
You'll transform from surface-level, analytical leadership to deep wisdom leadership. You'll learn to see patterns in complexity that others miss, turning chaos into clarity and opportunity. When everyone else is in fear and uncertainty, not knowing what to do, you'll rise from a deeper knowing—because you've learned to access the intuitive intelligence that guides you to exactly what's needed in any moment. You'll create from inner knowing rather than react to external circumstances.
Stage 5: The Practicum
You'll apply everything you've embodied in five real-world leadership scenarios, creating a professional case study that showcases your transformation. This isn't theoretical—you'll demonstrate your evolution as a Visionary Leader in situations that matter.
This is designed to be used as a powerful career asset.
You'll have the opportunity to use this practicum to position yourself as a true leader within your organization, industry, or community. The case study you create can be leveraged as a white paper, speaking topic, or thought leadership piece that elevates your professional standing and opens new opportunities.
You'll graduate not just with certification, but with concrete evidence of your transformation and a professional asset that continues working for your career long after the program ends.
Time Commitment: 3-5 hours per week for deep transformation work
✓ You hold a leadership role where your decisions impact others and you feel the weight of that responsibility deeply. Whether you’re a senior leader, founder, consultant, or team lead, you carry real influence and want to use it meaningfully.
✓ You feel the persistent tension between conventional leadership approaches and what your intuition tells you is possible. That discomfort isn’t wrong. It’s evidence of the Visionary Leader you’re meant to become.
✓ You’re tired of reactive leadership and fear-based decision making. You’ve witnessed the dysfunction it creates and you’re ready to lead from connection, not control.
✓ You believe that challenging moments aren’t problems to survive, but opportunities to create meaningful change. You see the potential for transformation where others see only chaos.
✓ You’re willing to do the inner work required for authentic leadership. This isn’t about learning new tactics. It’s about becoming someone different, and you’re ready for that level of transformation.
✓ You crave tools, community, and support to bridge the gap between who you are and who you’re called to be as a leader. You’re done trying to figure this out alone.
✓ You’re not looking for quick fixes or surface-level solutions.You understand that lasting change requires depth, commitment, and time to integrate new ways of being.
✓ You feel called to lead the change you want to see in the world —whether in your organization, your community, or beyond. This isn’t just career development for you; it’s answering a deeper calling.
If this describes you, then you’re ready to take the next step. Book your discovery call to explore whether this transformational journey aligns with where you’re meant to go next.
The leaders creating the most meaningful change today aren't the ones with the most time—they're the ones who prioritize their own transformation. They understand that investing 3-5 hours per week in becoming the leader they're meant to be creates exponential returns in every area of their life.
Time isn't the issue. Priorities are. And if you feel called to this work, making space for it isn't just important. It's essential for your leadership evolution.
The real question isn't whether you can afford this transformation—it's whether you can afford to remain where you are. Every day you stay in reactive, disconnected leadership patterns is a day you're not creating the change you're here to make.
The cost of inaction compounds. While this investment transforms how you show up as a leader, staying stuck in old patterns costs you opportunities, impact, and fulfillment that no amount of money can recover.
Most leadership development focuses on tactics and strategies. The Crisis Ready® Certification transforms who you are at the core—your presence, your emotional intelligence, your ability to access deep wisdom under pressure.
This isn't information you implement. It's transformation you embody. The leaders who complete this certification don't just gain new skills—they become someone fundamentally different, and that change is what creates lasting impact.
Your journey as a Visionary Leader begins with a single conversation.
This isn't for everyone, and that's intentional. The leaders who thrive in this certification are those who feel genuinely called to this deeper work.
✓ Inner Leadership: Cultivate self-awareness and strength to lead with confidence and authenticity.
✓ Effective Communication: Master the ability to create messaging that resonates, inspires, and drives action.
✓ Navigating Resistance: Learn how to overcome internal and external resistance to change, both within yourself and your team.
✓ Vision and Strategy: Develop a clear vision and action plan to lead your organization toward impactful outcomes.
✓ Crisis Mastery: Gain expertise in crisis leadership by implementing powerful, real-world strategies and frameworks that ensure you’re a visionary, crisis ready leader!
✓ Legacy: Become a visionary leader on a mission to create lasting impact, shaping a future aligned with your values and the legacy you wish to leave behind.
✓ Global Network: Access a global network of Crisis Ready® professionals, empowering you with connections and insights from top experts.
✓ Direct Mentorship: Receive personal mentorship from Melissa Agnes, a world-renowned expert in crisis communication and leadership.
✓ Exclusive Listing: Be listed on Crisis Ready Institute’s directory as a trusted Crisis Ready® Leader, supporting your growth whether you’re a consultant or looking for your next dream opportunity.
The world is changing rapidly, and with it comes an urgent need for visionary leaders who can navigate uncertainty and drive meaningful change. If you've scrolled this far, odds are, you can sense the calling. That persistent knowing that leadership can and should be different.
The Crisis Ready® Certification equips you to not only handle challenges but to lead transformative change when it's needed most. Don't wait for the next challenging moment to define you—be the leader who shapes the future.
Book your discovery conversation to explore together whether this transformational journey aligns with where you're meant to go next. This is a mutual exploration to determine if you're ready for this level of leadership evolution—and we can't wait to hear from you!
This training will certify you to...
Master transformational leadership through change:
Lead with clarity and emotional intelligence during uncertain times, becoming the kind of presence others instinctively trust when resistance and complexity arise.
Build connection-based strategies that work:
Develop the inner coherence and practical skills to turn challenging moments into opportunities for deeper trust, stronger relationships, and meaningful transformation.
Establish yourself as a Visionary Leader:
Position yourself as a sought-after leader who guides organizations through change with heart-centered authority, elevating your impact and professional standing.
Become the leader others turn to:
Trusted to create calm in chaos, move others through resistance with grace, and lead from possibility when others are stuck in probability.
Drive meaningful change that matters:
Transform how leadership happens in your sphere of influence through embodied presence, emotional intelligence, and visionary leadership that creates lasting impact in the areas of life that matter most to you.
Leverage your Certification for career advancement:
Display your Crisis Ready® Certification on your resumé, LinkedIn profile, and website. Your professional case study becomes a powerful testament to your transformation, while your listing on our website connects you with recruiters and dream opportunities.
Access exclusive growth opportunities:
Join a network of Certified Visionary Crisis Leaders with access to referral opportunities, retreats, advanced programs, and events designed specifically for leaders creating the change our world urgently needs.
The Crisis Ready® Certification is designed for purpose-driven leaders who feel called to guide meaningful change through connection, clarity, and unwavering alignment. Whether you’re a senior leader, founder, consultant, team lead, or in any role where your decisions impact others, this transformation is for you.
But here’s what makes this different: if you’re a change-maker committed to transforming the status quo and creating meaningful impact—in your organization, your community, or the world at large—this program will empower you to become the Visionary Leader you’re meant to be.
This isn’t about your title or industry. It’s about your calling to lead differently and your readiness to do the inner work required for authentic, transformational leadership.
This isn’t a sales call. It’s a meaningful conversation about your calling to lead differently. Before we speak, you’ll complete a thoughtful questionnaire that helps us both understand whether this transformation aligns with where you’re meant to go next.
During our conversation, we’ll explore:
This is a mutual exploration. We’re committed to ensuring that everyone who enters this certification is genuinely aligned with the depth of transformation we facilitate. You deserve a program that matches your calling, and this sacred container deserves leaders who are ready to do the work.
If we’re aligned, we’ll both feel it. The path forward becomes clear, and the decision feels like the obvious next step.
The Crisis Ready® Certification is a comprehensive 9-month transformational journey designed to evolve you into an embodied Visionary Leader.
Months 1-6: The Leadership Transformation Weekly live sessions alternating between deep teaching (90 minutes) and integration sessions (45-60 minutes), plus comprehensive workbooks with practical exercises for each module. You’ll undergo four distinct stages of transformation: from reactive to visionary thinking, from disconnected to coherent presence, from control to connection, and from intellectual to intuitive leadership.
Months 7-9: Real-World Integration (The Practicum) You’ll apply everything you’ve embodied in five real-world leadership scenarios, creating a professional case study that showcases your transformation and becomes a powerful career asset.
Throughout your journey: Mentorship and feedback, a cohort community of like-minded leaders, and ongoing support as you integrate this new way of being into your leadership.
This structure ensures you don’t just learn concepts—you embody a complete leadership evolution.
Yes! The Crisis Ready® Certification is designed for global participation, with leaders joining from multiple continents and time zones. All live sessions are conducted online, making the program accessible regardless of your location.
We do our best to schedule sessions at times that work for the majority of participants, though we understand that some time zones may be more challenging than others. All sessions are recorded, so if timing occasionally doesn’t work for your location, you can stay current with your transformation journey.
The global nature of our community is actually one of its strengths—you’ll connect with purpose-driven leaders from diverse cultures and contexts, all united in their calling to create meaningful change. This international perspective enriches the learning experience for everyone.
During your discovery conversation, we’ll discuss the specific session timing for your upcoming cohort to ensure it aligns with your schedule and location.
The Crisis Ready® Certification is a transformational investment in becoming the Visionary Leader you’re meant to be.
This isn’t just professional development—it’s a complete leadership evolution that transforms how you show up in every area of your life. The investment reflects the depth of transformation, the level of mentorship and support, and the lasting impact on both your leadership and career.
Investment details are discussed during your discovery conversation, where we’ll explore whether this transformational journey aligns with your goals and readiness for this level of change.
While most leadership development focuses on tactics and strategies, the Crisis Ready® Certification transforms who you are at the core—your presence, your emotional intelligence, your ability to access deep wisdom under pressure.
This multidisciplinary approach integrates neuroscience, psychology, and quantum physics to help you understand the deeper dynamics of human behavior and resistance. You’ll learn to work with emotion skillfully, knowing that “you can’t beat emotion with logic” (a core Crisis Ready® principle).
With real-world application through the Practicum and direct mentorship from Melissa Agnes, this program doesn’t just teach you to manage challenging moments—it transforms you into a Visionary Leader who turns uncertainty and resistance into catalysts for meaningful change.
This isn’t information you implement. It’s transformation you embody. The difference is felt by everyone around you.
While experience is helpful, it’s not required. The Crisis Ready® Certification is designed for purpose-driven professionals who feel called to lead meaningful change, regardless of your background or current role.
What matters most is your readiness for transformation and your commitment to doing the inner work required for authentic leadership. We provide comprehensive support, including required materials and resources throughout your journey, ensuring you’re fully equipped to succeed.
The most important qualification is your calling to become a Visionary Leader and your willingness to evolve into someone who can guide others through uncertainty with clarity, connection, and courage.
The Crisis Ready® Certification transforms you into a Visionary Leader who embodies confidence, clarity, and deep resonance. This transformation extends far beyond professional skills—it strengthens your connection with yourself, your intuition, and your authentic power as a leader.
You’ll develop the ability to remain calm and centered when others are reactive, transform resistance into trust, and guide meaningful change through uncertainty and complexity. These capabilities enhance every aspect of your leadership, whether you’re navigating daily operations, leading major initiatives, or creating the change you want to see in the world.
The real benefit: You become the kind of leader others instinctively trust and follow, especially when stakes are high and conventional approaches fall short. You don’t just manage challenging moments—you transform them into catalysts for connection and meaningful progress.
The Crisis Ready® Certification transforms your professional trajectory by developing the kind of leadership presence that opens doors and creates opportunities. You’ll become known as someone who can handle complexity with grace, transform resistance into progress, and guide meaningful change when others don’t know what to do.
This transformation becomes a career catalyst. Whether you’re seeking advancement within your organization, pursuing new opportunities, building your consulting practice, or establishing yourself as a thought leader, the presence and capabilities you develop naturally attract recognition, trust, and premium opportunities.
Additional professional benefits include:
You don’t just add credentials to your resume; you become the leader others actively seek out when transformation is needed.
While many of our Visionary Leaders hold formal leadership positions, this certification is for anyone who feels called to lead meaningful change—regardless of your current title or role.
Leadership isn’t defined by hierarchy. If you influence others, guide projects, serve on teams, mentor colleagues, or simply feel the calling to create positive change in your environment, you have leadership capacity that can be transformed and amplified.
The skills you develop—emotional intelligence, presence, the ability to work with resistance, and authentic authority—enhance your impact whether you’re leading a team of hundreds or influencing change within your current role. Many graduates find that their transformation naturally opens doors to new leadership opportunities.
What matters most is your readiness to step into your power as someone who can guide meaningful change, not your current position on an organizational chart.
Yes, the Crisis Ready® Certification is fully trauma-informed. Challenging moments and times of change often trigger emotional intensity, and how we lead through them can either reduce or amplify the emotional impact on those we serve.
This program teaches you to recognize and respond to these emotionally charged situations with empathy, compassion, and skill. You’ll learn to create psychological and emotional safety that helps minimize trauma while fostering trust, connection, and resilience in yourself and others.
By developing trauma-informed leadership capabilities, you become someone who can hold steady during difficult times, helping others regulate their nervous systems and find their way back to clarity and connection. This approach doesn’t just support those you lead—it creates deeper, more authentic relationships built on genuine care and understanding.
Trauma-informed leadership involves recognizing that individuals may have experienced emotional or psychological trauma, which can affect how they respond to challenging moments, uncertainty, or high-pressure situations. For Visionary Leaders, this awareness is invaluable—it enables you to lead with empathy, compassion, and skill in creating emotional safety.
By understanding these dynamics, trauma-informed leaders can recognize when someone’s nervous system is activated and respond in ways that help them regulate rather than escalate. This approach creates psychologically safer, more supportive environments where people can access their wisdom and resilience rather than operating from fear or reactivity.
The result is stronger relationships, deeper trust, enhanced decision-making during difficult times, and teams that can navigate uncertainty together rather than fragmenting under pressure.
The Crisis Ready® Certification requires 3-5 hours per week over 9 months, designed to fit into the schedule of busy professionals while ensuring deep transformation.
Months 1-6: The Leadership Transformation
Months 7-9: The Practicum
The time you invest transforms how you show up in every area of your life. Leaders who prioritize their own evolution create exponential returns in their effectiveness, relationships, and impact.
Yes, absolutely. This is a deeply transformative program that requires full commitment and presence. Your participation in the live sessions is critical to experiencing the depth of transformation the Crisis Ready® Certification offers.
These sessions are designed to create real-time connection, support, and breakthrough moments that simply can’t be replicated through recordings. The community aspect, live mentorship, and energetic field created when purpose-driven leaders gather together is essential to your evolution as a Visionary Leader.
We understand that schedules can be demanding, but prioritizing this commitment is part of investing in becoming the leader you’re meant to be. The transformation happens through presence, not just information consumption.
We understand that most of our Visionary Leaders are juggling demanding responsibilities—that’s often what makes them such powerful change-makers. The Crisis Ready® Certification is designed with busy professionals in mind, requiring 3-5 hours per week that can be integrated around your existing commitments.
Here’s what we’ve learned: the leaders who create the most meaningful change aren’t the ones with the most free time—they’re the ones who prioritize their own transformation. The skills you develop in this certification actually enhance your effectiveness and clarity in all areas of life, often creating more efficiency and better outcomes than before.
If this program resonates deeply with you and aligns with your calling to lead differently, you’ll discover ways to make it work. Your evolution as a Visionary Leader isn’t just worth the investment—it becomes the foundation for everything else you’re trying to achieve.
We understand that life can happen and schedules sometimes shift unexpectedly. If you’re unable to attend a live session, recordings will be made available so you can stay current with your transformation journey.
Please let us know in advance when possible if you can’t attend, and we’ll need confirmation that you’ve engaged with the recording of the missed session. The workbook exercises and integration practices will still follow the program timeline to ensure you stay aligned with your cohort’s transformation process.
While recordings provide access to the content, remember that the live community experience and real-time mentorship are irreplaceable elements of your evolution as a Visionary Leader. We encourage prioritizing live attendance whenever possible for the deepest transformation.
We understand that life can be unpredictable, and while we encourage you to stay aligned with your cohort’s transformation timeline, we’re also here to support your individual journey. If you need additional time for your workbook exercises or integration practices, just let us know.
We’ll work with you to find a solution that keeps you moving forward in your evolution as a Visionary Leader without losing the momentum of your transformation. The goal is to ensure you experience the full depth of this journey, so flexibility in service of your growth is important to us.
Your transformation matters more than perfect timing—we’re committed to supporting you in becoming the leader you’re meant to be.
Throughout the Crisis Ready® Certification, you’ll have access to a comprehensive support system designed to ensure your transformation as a Visionary Leader. This includes direct mentorship from Melissa Agnes, live integration sessions for personalized guidance, and connection to a community of purpose-driven leaders on the same transformational journey.
You’ll also have ongoing access to all program materials, session recordings, workbooks, and opportunities for feedback throughout your evolution. This support system ensures you feel connected, guided, and encouraged at every stage of becoming the leader you’re meant to be.
The community aspect is particularly powerful—you’ll be surrounded by other leaders who understand your calling to create meaningful change, providing both professional connections and personal inspiration that extends far beyond the program itself.
The Crisis Ready® Certification is a completely separate transformational journey focused on developing Visionary Leaders. While the Crisis Ready Course provides excellent foundational skills in crisis communication, the Certification takes you into deep leadership transformation—working with emotional intelligence, resistance, coherence, and intuitive leadership.
These are distinct programs designed for different aspects of leadership development. The Certification doesn’t require any prerequisites and is designed for purpose-driven leaders ready to undergo a complete evolution in how they show up and lead.
If you feel called to become a Visionary Leader who can transform challenging moments into catalysts for meaningful change, the Certification may be your next step regardless of your previous training experience.
That’s absolutely an option! The Crisis Ready Course is a powerful standalone program that dives deep into advanced crisis communication skills not taught anywhere else. It equips you with strategic approaches and practical tools to navigate challenging moments and communicate with confidence and clarity.
If you’re looking for specialized crisis communication expertise without the deeper transformational journey of becoming a Visionary Leader, this course provides immense value on its own. It’s designed for professionals who want to master the art of crisis communication specifically.
The Course and the Certification serve different purposes—one focuses on crisis communication mastery, while the other transforms you into a Visionary Leader who can guide meaningful change through any challenging situation.
Upon completing the Crisis Ready® Certification, you will earn the title of Certified Visionary Leader. This designation signifies that you’ve undergone a complete leadership transformation, developing the presence, emotional intelligence, and authentic authority to guide meaningful change through uncertainty, complexity, and resistance.
You’ll also be listed in the Crisis Ready® Institute directory as a Certified Visionary Leader, recognized as someone who can transform challenging moments into catalysts for connection and progress. This listing connects you with organizations and recruiters seeking leaders who can navigate change with grace and create meaningful impact.
Yes, we offer flexible payment plans to make the Crisis Ready® Certification more accessible for purpose-driven leaders ready to invest in their transformation. We understand that this level of leadership development is a significant investment, and we want to ensure financial logistics don’t prevent the right people from accessing this journey.
Details on available payment options will be discussed during your discovery conversation, where we can explore what works best for your situation. Our goal is to find a solution that allows you to comfortably invest in becoming the Visionary Leader you’re meant to be.
Here’s the key question: Underneath any doubt or concern, do you feel excited about this possibility?
Often, what we interpret as “not being ready” is actually fear of the unknown or comfort with familiar patterns. But if there’s a part of you that lights up when you imagine becoming the Visionary Leader you’re meant to be—that’s worth paying attention to.
The highest vibration is always your truest calling. Fear will always give you reasons to wait. But genuine excitement about transformation? That’s deeper truth.
True readiness isn’t about feeling completely prepared—it’s about feeling genuinely excited about who you could become and being willing to trust that calling, even when your logical mind has concerns.
During your discovery conversation, we’ll explore what that excitement is telling you and whether any hesitation is fear-based resistance or genuine timing. But if this work makes you feel alive with possibility, that’s often the clearest sign you’re ready.
Trust the excitement. It knows something your worry doesn’t.
Your transformation as a Certified Visionary Leader is just the beginning. Upon graduation, you become part of an exclusive alumni community of leaders who continue supporting each other’s growth and impact.
Ongoing benefits include:
The transformation you’ve undergone continues to evolve. Many graduates find their leadership capacity keeps expanding as they apply their new capabilities in increasingly complex and meaningful situations.
This isn’t the end of your journey—it’s your graduation into a lifetime of leading the change you want to see in the world, supported by a community that understands your calling.
The Crisis Ready® Certification is designed for leaders who feel called to step into their highest potential and create the change they want to see in the world. If you’ve read this far, you’re likely one of them.
Our goal is to understand your vision, explore where you’re called to go, and ensure this transformational journey aligns with your leadership evolution. If you feel that pull and are ready to become the leader you’re meant to be, book your discovery conversation and we’ll explore whether this is your pathway forward. We’re excited to hear from you!
Thank you @CrisisReadyInst and @melissa_agnes for an amazing Masterclass that had so many useful and insightful tips. I can´t recommend them enough!#PublicRelations #CrisisReady #CrisisComms
— Florencia Arruez (@ArruezFlorencia) June 17, 2021
@CrisisReadyInst @melissa_agnes the masterclass was exceptional.
— Nevin deMilliano (@SwiftChaser) June 17, 2021
That’s it. That’s the tweet.
Thanks Melissa Agnes, CEO and Founder at @CrisisReadyInst for the insightful masterclass on #crisiscommunication. One of my takeaways during the session was the Crisis Response Penalty (CRP) formula - see the attached picture. 1/2#crisisready #leadership #communication pic.twitter.com/FIWbnd7hQ1
— Alliancé ~aliya-n-say (@alliance_babu) June 18, 2021
Excelente evento sobre Comunicação de Crise, com @melissa_agnes do @CrisisReadyInst. "O sucesso da gestão de crise requer... Ação + Comunicação = Resposta. Não há como gerenciar uma crise sem comunicação. https://t.co/Pm0vWrIQP7
— João José Forni (@jjforni) June 17, 2021
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Whether you’re an in-house professional, a crisis communication consultant, or an educator who teaches on the subject, the Crisis Ready Newsletter provides tailored content specifically for you.
Paul Damaren is the Global Director of Strategic Accounts for LRQA, a global Assurance Provider. Paul also holds the position of Chief Commercial Officer and Partner at StepUp Solution Services. Paul has worked as a Senior Executive in the Certification space for 10 years and has over 39 years’ experience in the Hospitality, Certification, Service, Retail agri-food and Technology sectors. Damaren is skilled in sales, marketing, certification, operations and software applications and he possesses an MBA from McGill University.
Mr. Damaren has worked with many companies across multiple sectors in supporting their food safety, supply chain, health & wellness, front & back of house operations, brand protection, quality, environmental, health & safety, GMP/GDP compliance, automotive, aerospace, medical, information security and technology requirements.
Paul was formerly a board member and Treasurer for the Ontario Food Protection Association (OFPA) and is a currently an Advisor & Council Member with The GW University School of Business and the Crisis Ready Institute.
Before working in the Certification industry, Damaren was a professional Chef/consultant for 20+ years working in major hotel chains, restaurants, private golf courses and food service organizations. Further, Damaren was a member of the National Canadian Federation of Chefs and Cooks (C.F.C.C.) for 14 years, member of the Region of Waterloo Culinary Association (R.W.C.A.) for 14 years, President of R.W.C.A. (Region of Waterloo Culinary Association) for 3 years, special Events chairman - R.W.C.A. – 1998 – 2000 and National Culinary Ambassador to Russia for 5 years.
Paul’s wealth of knowledge and experience across the span of our services supports his commitment to the ongoing success of our customers.
As we get this membership off the ground, we’re looking to our 2022 inaugural members to be a part of helping us strengthen and tailor this program to meet your needs.
This will involve regular communication with the Crisis Ready Team to provide feedback, share requests for additional ways to support you and your business, etc.
Each Crisis Ready Course is designed to help you strengthen your Crisis Ready® Expertise. Course subjects will include crisis communication, establishing governance, crisis leadership, storytelling for crisis comms, DEI integration, and more.
Each course is complete with:
If you:
... then you will benefit from Crisis Ready Institute's 1:1 coaching and support. This opportunity is retainer-based and is offered exclusively to our consultant and small agency members.
This offering provides personalized coaching and support in:
Monthly retainer*
Hours of support per month
$2,500 USD
Up to 5
$5,000 USD
Up to 10
* This is in addition to the annual membership fee.
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Have experts review your crisis comms program prior to the course
1:1 Consultation time with a member of the Crisis Ready Team, post the course (per hour)
We're excited to be sharing Sustained Resilience: Building Tomorrow's Leaders with you. Fill in the form below to gain access to demo this course. Once you fill in this form, we'll send you an email with further instructions.
Thank you for the honor of considering this important course for your curriculum. We look forward to sharing in the experience with you!
Between the demands of our social impact economy, the divisiveness of society and the many other challenges in front of us, embedding a crisis ready culture is more important than ever before. Having a team that is trained, poised, and empowered to effectively respond to risk, controversy and other threats, will strengthen stakeholder relationships and increase the brand equity of your organization. This is a powerful opportunity. The Crisis Ready® Coaching Program is specifically designed to equip your team with the tools needed today for launching into a stronger tomorrow.
From best practices around re-opening, to diversity and inclusion, to managing through the impacts that 2020 has left on your business, the Crisis Ready® Coaching Program is designed to support you through the challenges of today, in order to recover faster and stronger for an even better tomorrow.
COVID-19 continues to affect a great majority of professionals and businesses, leaving them blindsided by its impact and all the uncertainty that came with it. The Crisis Ready® Coaching Program provides you with access to a diverse group of experts, each with unique areas of insight, to help provide you and your team with strengthened foresight to better anticipate and plan for both the risks and opportunities that lay ahead of us all.
Licy Do Canto, is a veteran of public policy, corporate strategy, health care communications and diversity and inclusion, is managing director of APCO Worldwide’s Washington D.C. office headquarters and mid-Atlantic region lead. Licy is also a Global Advisory Council (GAC) member here at the Crisis Ready Institute and a highly recognized African-American public affairs, lobbyist and communications strategist— recognized by TheHill newspaper for the 11th consecutive year as one of the most influential leaders in Washington, DC.
Recognized globally as an expert, thought leader and visionary in the field of crisis communication, Melissa Agnes has worked with global players, including NATO, the Pentagon (DoD), Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense, financial firms, technology companies, healthcare organizations, cities and municipalities, law enforcement agencies, aviation organizations, global non-profits, and many others.
In 2020, Melissa founded Crisis Ready Institute, a public benefit corporation dedicated to teaching advanced crisis communication skills.
She's currently passionate about providing dedicated support to crisis communication consultants. Through her programs, she’s focused on helping them strengthen their crisis communication skills and credibility in the market, and supporting them in growing and scaling their business. The work they do is important and she's passionate about helping them amplify the positive impact they have in the world.
Her book, Crisis Ready: Building an Invincible Brand in an Uncertain World, is taught in dozens of universities around the world, including at Harvard University; is ranked amongst the leading crisis management books of all time, by Book Authority; and was named one of the top ten business books of 2018 by Forbes.
Melissa is the creator of the Crisis Ready® Model, which is recognized and being taught as leading industry best practice in the fields of crisis management and crisis communication.
As an in-demand international keynote speaker and a TEDx alumna, Melissa has traveled the world helping organizations and leaders further strengthen their crisis ready mindset, skills and capabilities.
In 2019, Melissa founded the Crisis Ready® Community, a space for professionals to come together to support one another, collaborate and strengthen their crisis ready skills.
Melissa sits on the Board of Directors for ZeroNow, a non-profit committed to ending harmful events in schools.
She also sat on the Board of Trustees for D'Youville University for four years until the end of her term, where she also serves as a visiting scholar for the course she co-created and co-teaches on Crisis Leadership.
Passionate about serving law enforcement and bridging the trust divide between agencies and the communities they serve, Melissa is a former member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). In 2021 she co-chaired a committee tasked with developing a strategy and plan of action to begin resolving the trust crisis in the U.S.
In 2019 and 2020, Melissa sat on the panel tasked with developing the International Standard for Crisis Management— ISO 22361, Guidelines for developing a strategic capability.
Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, Melissa currently lives in New York City and enjoys weight-lifting, sailing, and exploring new cities, countries, and cultures.
Erick Anez is the Global Head of Business Resilience at Finastra. Erick is a proven leader with well over a decade of experience leading change and transformation in the Operational Resilience field.
His hands-on approach focuses on operational learning, culture, and reputational management. Erick holds a Bachelor of Emergency & Homeland Security, Graduate studies in Security and Disaster Management, is a Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP), Certified Risk Management Professional (CRMP), graduate of the FEMA institute in Incident Management and Command, and is a respected member of Public-Private partnerships within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Some of his most notable achievements in the field include leading the private sector response to Hurricane Maria as well as working with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in Continuity of Operations (CCOP) projects for mission-critical facilities in the United States. Erick has also trained with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Infectious Disease Planning and community response, including Point of Dispensing initiatives.
From 2016 to 2019, Erick held several roles at Crowley and, most recently, was the company’s Managing Director of Safety & Resilience. During this time, he was responsible for resilience operations supporting all business segments as well as leading the organization’s safety culture improvement journey. At Crowley, he led the Occupational Health & Safety, Business Continuity, and Crisis Management teams.
Before joining Crowley, Erick held similar roles at Southwest Gas and Third Federal Savings & Loan.
Founder and Principal, One Thirty Nine Consulting
Global Advisory Council Member, Crisis Ready® Institute
Aaron Marks is the founder and principal of One Thirty Nine Consulting, providing services for small and large businesses in Risk, Crisis, and Consequence Management.
Supporting both domestic and international clients, he provides operational and subject matter expertise in readiness and preparedness, crisis and incident management, and business and operational continuity for complex systems and organizations.
Aaron has provided in-depth review, assessment, and analysis for technology, policy, and operational programs for clients in healthcare, critical manufacturing, and entertainment and hospitality, as well as for state, local, tribal, territorial, and federal governments in the United States, Europe, and the Middle East. He is a recognized authority on the application of nontraditional techniques and methodologies to meet the unique requirements of training, evaluation, and analytic games and exercise.
Prior to entering the readiness and preparedness field, Aaron was the Director of Operations for a commercial ambulance and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) provider in western New York State where he participated in the integration of commercial EMS and medical transportation resources into the local Trauma System.
During his 30-year career, Aaron has worked in almost every aspect of EMS except fleet services. This includes experience in Hazardous Materials and Tactical Medicine, provision of prehospital care in urban, suburban, rural, and frontier environments, and acting as a team leader for both ground and aeromedical Critical Care Transport Teams.
Aaron is a FEMA Master Exercise Practitioner and received a B.A. in Psychology from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, and a master’s degree in Public Administration with a focus in Emergency Management from Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama. He is also a Nationally Registered Paramedic and currently practices as an Assistant Chief with the Amissville Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department, Amissville Virginia.
Chris is the 11th Police Chief of the Mountain View Police Department, located in the heart of Silicon Valley. For more than 25 years, he has served the Mountain View community, and as the department’s leader, is passionate about maintaining MVPD’s role as a progressive law enforcement organization in the 21st century.
Chris is an internationally recognized speaker and columnist on the areas of crisis communications, critical incident management, leadership, and engagement with stakeholder groups. In his time with Mountain View PD, Chris has held a variety of investigative, tactical, and leadership roles, serving in every division in the organization. He is a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government Senior Executives in State and Local Government program and has a master’s degree in eBusiness Management from Notre Dame de Namur in Belmont, CA.
Chris also serves in several leadership positions on multiple boards, including as president on the Government Social Media Leadership Council and committee member on the IACP's Professional Standards, Ethics, and Image Committee. Previously, Chris served as a board member for the Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center and two terms as a commissioner on the City of San Mateo Community Relations Commission.
You can connect with him on Twitter @Chief_Hsiung or LinkedIn.
Ashley is a Brand and Marketing Strategist who partners with CEOs, executives and solopreneurs to grow their personal and professional brands. After spending over a decade working in strategic communications for multimillion dollar brands and startups, Ashley knows what truly drives conversations, builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their stakeholder groups and attracts strong strategic partnerships.
Ashley has helped organizations and leaders increase employee awareness and overall understanding of the company vision. She has strong experience / knowledge of social media tools and techniques for driving awareness, reputation and brand—and is known for advancing a company's messaging in the marketplace by growing the following of now multiple multimillion dollar brands and startups.
Ashley has served as the Editor of monthly all employee publications by managing the planning, writing and production. She is an integral part of new product launches and is frequently engaged to train entire sales teams along with channel / distribution partners on new product launches. In addition to her extensive experience, Ashley is a trained business coach.
Ashley holds a BA in Global Business Management from the University of Phoenix.
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