Who
This professional development event hosted by the International Association of Business Communicators, BC chapter is opent to both IABC/BC members and non-members.
What
The year 2020 started with some major global crises. From the eruption of major bushfires in Australia to the outbreak of COVID-19 and its considerable impact on social, economic and political stability globally, crisis management is even more crucial and indispensable for organizations and businesses in our world today. Crises, whether local or global, can strike at any moment and as business communicators, we have a central role to play in helping our organizations navigate through such major events. To do so successfully requires that we plan, prepare and equip ourselves with the best tools, skills and strategies in crisis communications.
This webinar will bring together seasoned communicators with crisis communications expertise from across BC’s public and private sectors. Join us as they share their key tools and strategies for preparing for and dealing with past and ongoing crises as we move into this new decade.
Panelists:
Lauren Girdler, Communications Advisor, Fisheries and Ocean Canada
@Laurengirdler
Lauren is a Communications Advisor at Fisheries and Oceans Canada, focusing on media relations, crisis communications and internal comms. Proving that having a master’s degree in English can be put to use, she has been working in communications and marketing for the past 15 years – both in the private and public sectors. Lauren has been volunteering with IABC/BC for the past three years and enjoys networking, especially if a cheese plate is involved. When not working or volunteering, Lauren can be found trying out new restaurants in Vancouver or unwinding at the family cabin in the mountains.
Heather Amos, Communications Officer, BC Centre for Disease Control, Provincial Health Services Authority
@H_Amos_
Heather Amos is a communications professional based in Vancouver with 10 years of experience working in the public sector. She is the communications officer for the BC Centre for Disease Control at the Provincial Health Services Authority and previously worked as the senior media relations specialist for the University of British Columbia. Her work includes managing issues, government and stakeholder relations, strategic communications planning, media relations and internal communications. She also leads media training and coaching sessions with spokespeople, writes stories and manages a website and social media accounts.
Jennifer Sanford, National Content Curator/Media Spokesperson/Podcast Host at Ducks Unlimited Canada
@jsanfordPR
Jennifer Sanford is a rhetorician of multiple disciplines. For 15 years, she’s helped organizations embrace disciplined communications as a core function of their business. Currently, Jennifer is responsible for the national storytelling leadership and earned media/media relations for Canada’s legacy conservation agency, Ducks Unlimited. She is also the host of the popular podcast In The Reeds, where guests of profile talk about today’s climate crisis. She is currently supporting her organization’s response to COVID-19 as a leader in their Incident Response Team. From 2010 to 2013, Jennifer was WestJet’s national media spokesperson. As part of this role, Jennifer supported the development of a culture-based emergency response strategy – a plan to determine how the airline’s caring disposition would extend to disaster situations. In the six years that followed, Jennifer built similar crisis and continuity response programs for Calgary’s non-profit community.
Jennifer has an Accredited Business Continuity Professional (ABCP) designation from the Disaster Recovery Institute and is one only a few Canadians appointed to the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. She’s certified in the Incident Command System, Group Crisis Intervention, and Psychological First Aid. Jennifer holds a Master of Arts in Political Communications from Johns Hopkins University and is currently completing the Public Leadership Credential at Harvard.
