Crisis Ready Course
Mastering the Art of Crisis Communication
and Leadership

🚀 Kick Off the New Year by Taking your Crisis Communication and Crisis Leadership Skills to New Heights! 🚀

Welcome, Dear Reader!

If we haven't yet met, let me introduce myself. My name is Melissa Agnes and, amongst other things, I'm the founder of Crisis Ready Institute and I'm really glad you're here.

Since you're on this page, I imagine you're interested in learning more about our world-class Crisis Ready® Course on Mastering the Art of Crisis Communication and Leadership.

While you'll find all the information you need by scrolling through this page, I will take the opportunity (since I have you here) to tell you that this course is designed to take your crisis communication and crisis leadership skills to soaring new heights.

Over the span of 10 weeks and more than 15 hours of learning, exploration, and exercises, you will learn crisis communication best practices that stem from the Crisis Ready Team's deep pool of expertise — and that are not taught anywhere else, giving you a strategic competitive edge.

If you have a passion for crisis comms and/or leadership, and if you're interested in taking your skills to the next level, then you're in the right place. Plus, this is the first step in becoming Crisis Ready® Certified — so if that's an area of interest, then you're definitely where you're meant to be!

We have three live rounds of this course scheduled for 2025, with the first one beginning in January. I look forward to taking this journey with you!

To your success,
— Melissa Agnes

Learn the crisis communication skills that aren't taught anywhere else!

We’ve put a lot into this course to make it an immersive experience that teaches essential skills that are not taught anywhere else.

During this course, you don’t just learn, you experience! Every session is rich with exercises and offers workbooks and additional resources to support you in implementing your learnings. During week 9, you will be immersed into a crisis simulation where you get to implement all the new skills and knowledge you’ve learned. By the time you graduate, you’ll have leveled up your crisis communication AND your crisis leadership skills significantly.

Strategically over the span of 10-weeks, you will learn how to:

  • Adopt a mindset that transforms crises and challenges into opportunities for growth, evolution, and connection
  • Overcome common (and sometimes seemingly impossible) crisis communication challenges
  • Develop communication strategies that resonate emotionally, powerfully connecting you with those you are leading (whether internally and or externally)
  • Get ahead of and own the narrative of a crisis
  • Apply different Crisis Ready® Formulas to effectively develop your crisis response strategies over the long-term
  • Identify and overcome the 5 Crisis Ready® Hindrances, helping you gain more buy-in and support from your leadership team and/or your clients
  • Strengthen relationships with those who matter most to your brand and business, when it's most challenging to do so
  • Incorporate the art of story-telling into your crisis communications
  • Develop and integrate your crisis communication program
  • Articulate the value of being Crisis Ready to win you more buy-in and support internally and/or with clients (for consultants)

Hone the skills that enable you to be ready to respond to an issue or crisis in real-time, lead with empathy, and own the narrative of your own story.

IF YOU...

✓  Play a role in your organization—or your clients’—crisis communication and issue management needs…

✓  Have experience or interest in the art of crisis communication and leadership and are looking to strengthen your skills in new and profound ways that meet today’s challenges…

✓  Are responsible for developing and implementing your organization’s—or your clients’—crisis communication program…

✓  Are tired of living in a world filled with Crisis Response Penalties and you want to be a part of the solution…

✓  Prioritize people, connection, and leading with emotional integrity over having a sole focus on bottom line and profits…

✓  Have a role in communicating internally, externally, and/or in the ears of leadership in times of issue and crisis management…

... then this course is designed for you.

What Our Students Say...

"Your course truly fortified my mindset, skillset and capabilities in the crisis comms space and I now feel empowered to take on crises for my clients. I’ve been a communicator for nearly 20 years and I wish I had known about you sooner! Each lesson was thoughtful, detailed and easy to understand. The group of experts you assembled was a huge value add that I didn’t expect. This course was well worth the investment and I look forward to putting it all to good use in the years to come."
Gina Kremer Cannon
Independent PR Consultant, Course Graduate

Next Course Dates

This course is being offered 3 times in 2025. Choose the dates that best suit your schedule!


Jan 7 - March 11, 2025
Tuesdays from 12pm to 1:30pm eastern
Register here


March 25 - May 27, 2025
Tuesdays from 12pm to 1:30pm eastern
Register here


Sept 9 - Nov 11, 2025
Tuesdays from 12pm to 1:30pm eastern
Register here

Course Program

The recordings of all sessions will be available to all those who register for the live event.

  • Communication challenges
  • What is Crisis Ready®?
  • Avoiding the Crisis Response Penalty
  • Establishing a strong Crisis Ready® Mindset
  • Setting your guiding stars
  • Establishing a base with Crisis Ready® definitions
  • Categorizing different types of risks, threats, and impacts
  • Identifying your high-risk scenarios
  • Defining your thresholds of impact and escalation

Guest instructor: Aaron Marks

  • What is governance—Crisis Ready definitions
  • Governance vs. management
  • Crisis Ready® Governance: who, why, and how
  • Establishing your Crisis Ready® Governance Structure
  • Designing SMART goals
  • The importance of your “capabilities” and things to be mindful of
  • Program overview (sample table of contents)
  • Designing your crisis communication ecosystem
  • Communication processes and capabilities
  • Establishing your internal escalation processes
  • Communication dissemination
  • The challenges of crisis communication
  • You can’t beat emotion with logic
  • Understanding emotions—both internally and externally
  • Strategizing emotions
  • Crisis Ready® Formula: Responding to Emotional Escalation

Guest instructor: Katie Fisher

  • Requirements for a strong and effective narrative
  • Adopting the art of storytelling into your crisis communication strategy
  • Setting communication objectives
  • How to get ahead of emotion
  • The secrets to successful crisis communication
  • A look at some of the biggest and most common mistakes to avoid
  • Crises are like onions
  • Strategic timelines of response
  • Taking the long-term view
  • How layering impacts framing of your narrative
  • Tips and strategies for layering your response
  • When to talk and when to be quiet and listen

Guest judge: Katie Fisher

  • Putting everything you’ve learned to use in a hands-on, practical, and fun experience!
  • 5 Crisis Ready® Hindrances
  • Gaining buy-in and support
  • Designing exercises to implement your Crisis Ready® Program
  • Two live AMA (ask me anything) sessions with our experts
  • WhatsApp community for continued support

What Our Students Say...

"This course is a masterpiece in crisis communication."
David Senanu Eklu
Ghana Police Service, Course Graduate
"Don't hesitate to sign up for this course. Whether you have years of experience or are just starting out in crisis communications, you will gain insights to help you prevent, prepare for, and respond to any emergency."
Anita J. Foster
Executive Director of Communications, Arlington ISD, Course Graduate
“This course made me realize how important it is to prevent a crisis from a communication's standpoint, and helped me have strong arguments to convince my boss about the importance of having a strategic program to put in practice during a crisis.”
— ​​Fabíola Góis
Leke Consultancy
“Really outstanding and very useful for the day-to-day of a Crisis Management consultant!”
— Miriam Omedes Archanco
MO&MA Crisis Management Consultants SL
“A very informative and broad selection of topics that narrow down into protecting your brand in a crisis.”
— Chris Derby
San Antonio Livestock Exposition

What Our Students Say...

We asked our students what their biggest takeaways from this course were. Here’s just some of their replies…

"The discussions were great and the exercise was amazing!"
"The mindset that "challenge" or "crisis" is always an opportunity to build relationship. I have employed that attitude to many situations already, and it has fundamentally changed my approach to these situations. Also, the worksheets, formulas and actionable takeaways are gold!"
"To do practice runs, to think about emotion when dealing with decision makers during times of crisis, and how to better partner with legal."
"One of the great lessons of this course was to think about crisis communication in a structured way, without forgetting emotions and communication with emotional intelligence. Combining the two worlds."
"As a risk manager (not a communications person), I found it very helpful in leading significant incidents and leading our ICS team. I have a much better understanding of our communications plan and the skills required, and feel better equipped to lead and train our ICS team and liaise with our CEO and board."

Crisis Ready Course Investment & Dates

This course is being offered 3 times in 2025. Choose the dates that best suit your schedule!

Jan 7 - March 11, 2025

Early bird rate: $950 USD
(ends Nov. 30th, 2024)

Full investment: $1,150 USD
(begins Dec. 1st, 2024)

Day: Tuesdays
Time: 12pm - 1:30pm eastern

March 25 - May 27, 2025

Early bird rate: $950 USD
(ends Feb 28th, 2025)

Full investment: $1,150 USD
(begins March 1st, 2025)

Day: Tuesdays
Time: 12pm - 1:30pm eastern

Sept 9 - Nov 11, 2025

Early bird rate: $950 USD
(ends Aug 8th, 2025)

Full investment: $1,150 USD
(begins Aug 9th, 2025)

Day: Tuesdays
Time: 12pm - 1:30pm eastern

Becoming Crisis Ready® Certified
This course is the first step in becoming Crisis Ready® Certified. If you're interested in becoming Crisis Ready® Certified, send an email to team@crisisreadyinstitute.com and we'll gladly send you more information.

Important Note on License To Use
This course provides you with worksheets and other resources to help you adopt the learnings into your organization. Your registration to this course grants you an internal license to use these materials. If you are a consultant and would like to optain a license to use the resources and IP with your clients, please visit IMPACT, our dedicated Program for Consultants. One of the perks of IMPACT is the license to use.

Who should attend?

This Crisis Ready Course is designed for communication professionals, including:

  • Crisis Communication Consultants
  • In-House Communication Professionals and PIOs
  • HR Professionals
  • Marketing and PR Professionals
  • Public Relations Consultants
  • Legal Teams (for the progressive lawyers who want to support their organization's or clients' critical communication efforts)

Note: Each registration is valid for a single user/license.

Legal disclaimer

All provided materials are the intellectual property of Crisis Ready Institute, protected by copyright law, trademark law, and other U.S. intellectual property laws. Registrants are granted permission to use materials for internal use only within their organization. They are not permitted to resell any elements of the course, worksheets, intellectual property, or program, nor are consultants granted the license to use the resources and IP with their clients, without obtaining a consultant's license to use by joining Crisis Ready® IMPACT.

By submitting your enrolment and payment, you are consenting to these terms, along with the other terms of use defined within our Terms of Service.

What Our Students Say...

“This course enabled me to build and hone a skill-set that frankly not many others are excited to take on, therefore increasing my value as a leader in my organization.”
— Course Graduate

About Melissa Agnes, your Crisis Ready Course Instructor

Recognized globally as an expert, thought-leader and visionary in the field of crisis management, 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.

Melissa is the author of Crisis Ready: Building an Invincible Brand in an Uncertain World, which is ranked amongst the leading crisis management books of all time, by Book Authority, and was named as one of the top ten business books of 2018 by Forbes.

She is the creator of the Crisis Ready® Model, which is recognized and being taught as leading industry best practice in universities and higher education curriculums around the world, including at Harvard University...

Melissa Agnes

Founder and CEO, Crisis Ready® Institute

Our Crisis Ready Courses are immersive experiences that strengthen your skills and your organization’s capabilities. Here’s a sampling of what past students have said:

More From Our Students...

"The Crisis Ready Institute is the best place where you can learn, in a few weeks, how to get prepared to fight against a crisis or prevent it. I really appreciate the classes and the material presented during the classes. The guests were also very well prepared in the field and I am much more confident about the skills I have to help my clients. Thank you, Melissa Agnes!"
– Fabíola Góis
Leke Consultancy
"This course was jampacked with great lessons, case studies and resources for veterans and newcomers alike. With a diverse set of weekly topics and great guest speakers, there's plenty to takeaway and action with my teams. The course was truly worth it!"
– Jason Flint
Sr. Mgr. Workplace & Crisis Response
"This Crisis Ready Course synthesized all of the best practices required for issue managers and crisis communicators to mitigate risk to their agency/institution. From the breadth of topics covered to the depth of experience of the guest speakers – this is an unparalleled package of training. Highly recommend!"
– Jennifer Hartman
University of Toronto Mississauga

You deserve to be Crisis Ready.

Register to this Course now!

Fill out the form below to register for the Crisis Communication Masterclass, with Melissa Agnes.
Upon filling out the form, you will be redirected to the Masterclass.

Fill out the form below to get notified once the next Crisis Communication Course dates become available.

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Experience this supplemental
development program for
yourself, before adding it to
your curriculum.

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Paul Damaren

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 Executive Vice President and Managing Director in the BCW Public Affairs and Crisis practice, Licy drives healthcare and social impact policy and strategy, and helps shape strategic direction on diversity, inclusion and belonging for the firm and its clients across North America, in public and corporate affairs, government relations, communications, crisis and reputation management. Licy also leads the BCW Healthcare Team in Washington, D.C.

An expert in public affairs, policy and diversity and inclusion, with over twenty five years of experience at the international, national, state and local levels across the nonprofit, philanthropic, corporate and government sectors, Licy is an accomplished, values-driven leader with unparalleled experience in developing and leading integrated public affairs campaigns combining strategic communications, public relations, political/legislative initiatives, policy, coalition building, grassroots efforts and advocacy.

Before joining BCW, Licy built and lead a nationally recognized minority owned strategic public affairs and communications firm, served as Health Practice Chair and Principal at The Raben Group, was the Chief Executive Officer of The AIDS Alliance for Children, Youth and Families, and managed and helped set the leadership direction for strategic policy, communications, and advocacy investments in executive and senior government affairs roles for the American Cancer Society and the nation’s Community Health Centers.

Before joining the private sector, Licy was domestic policy advisor to U.S. Congressman Barney Frank and served in several capacities in the Office of Senator Edward M. Kennedy. During his extensive tenure in Washington, D.C., Licy has played a leading role in efforts to draft, shape and enact legislation and policy to improve the public health, health care safety net and the lives, livelihoods and well-being of the nation’s disadvantaged and underserved communities. 

Licy also has worked with Moet Hennessey to drive diversity and inclusion on Wall Street and corporate America. He has partnered with Vice President Al Gore, senior government officials, scientists, NGOs and activists, on global climate change impact and sustainability across Africa. And he was appointed by Republican and Democrat governors to oversee the conservation, preservation and management of a prominent U.S. national historic landmark.

Licy is a graduate of Duke University and holds a certificate in public health leadership in epidemic preparedness and management from the University of North Chapel Hill—School of Public Health and Kenan Flagler Business School, and is the recipient of multiple industry awards and citations for his leadership, policy and public affairs acumen, including being named to The Hill Newspaper list of most influential  leaders in Washington, D.C. consecutively over the last ten years. As a global citizen, Licy has lived in Turkey and Spain, and is fluent in Spanish and Cape Verdean Portuguese.

About the Inaugural Membership Feedback

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.

About the Crisis Ready Courses

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:

  • Anywhere from 4-15 hours of virtual learning that you can do at your own pace
  • Knowledge tests
  • Worksheets and resources to help you bring these valuable learnings and use them within your client work (applicable solely to those who have the license through this membership)
  • A Certificate Of Completion upon successful completion of each course

Crisis Ready IMPACT, the Mastermind for Consultants

$12,500.00 USD

Select your payment option below. You can choose to pay for your annual membership in full or in two equal instalments (50% due immediately and 50% due in three months).

Description

Select your payment option below. You can choose to pay for your annual membership in full or in two equal installments (50% due immediately and 50% due in three months).

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Wait... don't miss out on these opportunities!

Opportunity for Individualized Coaching and Support

If you:

  • Sometimes feel as though you’re in over your head with your clients’ issue and crisis management needs
  • Could use support and coaching to help you prepare for and have business development discussions with prospective clients
  • Wish you had more behind-the-scenes support as you serve and support your clients
  • Would benefit from personalized coaching and support as you take your Crisis Ready skills and services to the next level...

... 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:

  • Managing client issues and crises as they arise. We support you as you support your clients so that you can feel confident in the recommendations and advice you provide.
  • Integrating the Crisis Ready Model into your business and client work.
  • Helping you strategize business development conversations and close more deals.
  • Gaining buy-in from existing clients. We can be your frontward-facing partner or remain behind-the-scenes, whatever the situation calls for.

Two Packages Available:

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.

Before you go to checkout...

Sign up to demo this course!

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!

Melissa Agnes

FOUNDER AND CEO, CRISIS READY INSTITUTE

  • Recognized globally as an expert, thought-leader and visionary in the field of crisis communication.
  • 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, etc.
  • Author of “Crisis Ready: Building an Invincible Brand in an Uncertain World”—ranked amongst the leading crisis management books of all time and named as one of the top ten
    business books of 2018 by Forbes.
  • Creator of the Crisis Ready® Model–which is recognized and being taught as leading industry best practice in universities and higher education curriculums around the world,
    including at Harvard University.
  • Leading international keynote speaker on the subject and TEDx alumna.
  • Sat on the panel tasked with developing the International Standard for Crisis Management— ISO 22361, Guidelines for developing a strategic capability.
  • Sits on the Board of Directors for ZeroNow, a non-profit on a mission to bring school violence down to ZERO.
  • Sat on Police Professional Standards, Ethics and Image Committee for the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
  • Founder of the Crisis Ready® Community.

Build for a stronger tomorrow by strengthening your team’s skills in issue management, crisis management, and crisis communication.

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.

Effectively manage through today’s challenges with the help of a diverse group of experts.

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.

Gain strategic foresight into the coming months, giving you the tools you need to better anticipate and plan for a stronger future.

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

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.

As Executive Vice President and Managing Director in the BCW Public Affairs and Crisis practice, Licy drives healthcare and social impact policy and strategy, and helps shape strategic direction on diversity, inclusion and belonging for the firm and its clients across North America, in public and corporate affairs, government relations, communications, crisis and reputation management. Licy also leads the BCW Healthcare Team in Washington, D.C.

An expert in public affairs, policy and diversity and inclusion, with over twenty five years of experience at the international, national, state and local levels across the nonprofit, philanthropic, corporate and government sectors, Licy is an accomplished, values-driven leader with unparalleled experience in developing and leading integrated public affairs campaigns combining strategic communications, public relations, political/legislative initiatives, policy, coalition building, grassroots efforts and advocacy.

Before joining BCW, Licy built and lead a nationally recognized minority owned strategic public affairs and communications firm, served as Health Practice Chair and Principal at The Raben Group, was the Chief Executive Officer of The AIDS Alliance for Children, Youth and Families, and managed and helped set the leadership direction for strategic policy, communications, and advocacy investments in executive and senior government affairs roles for the American Cancer Society and the nation’s Community Health Centers.

Before joining the private sector, Licy was domestic policy advisor to U.S. Congressman Barney Frank and served in several capacities in the Office of Senator Edward M. Kennedy. During his extensive tenure in Washington, D.C., Licy has played a leading role in efforts to draft, shape and enact legislation and policy to improve the public health, health care safety net and the lives, livelihoods and well-being of the nation’s disadvantaged and underserved communities. 

Licy also has worked with Moet Hennessey to drive diversity and inclusion on Wall Street and corporate America. He has partnered with Vice President Al Gore, senior government officials, scientists, NGOs and activists, on global climate change impact and sustainability across Africa. And he was appointed by Republican and Democrat governors to oversee the conservation, preservation and management of a prominent U.S. national historic landmark.

Licy is a graduate of Duke University and holds a certificate in public health leadership in epidemic preparedness and management from the University of North Chapel Hill—School of Public Health and Kenan Flagler Business School, and is the recipient of multiple industry awards and citations for his leadership, policy and public affairs acumen, including being named to The Hill Newspaper list of most influential  leaders in Washington, D.C. consecutively over the last ten years. As a global citizen, Licy has lived in Turkey and Spain, and is fluent in Spanish and Cape Verdean Portuguese.

Melissa Agnes

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

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.

Aaron Marks

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 Hsiung

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 Davis

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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