National Press Club Communicators Summit

National Press Club Communicators Summit to Focus on Crisis Communications

On Tuesday, November 15, the National Press Club will host its Communicators Summit, focusing on the theme of crisis communications. The Summit will take place at the National Press Club, 529 14th Street, NW -- 13th floor.

8:30-9:00 a.m. – Registration/Networking/Continental Breakfast

9:00-9:05 a.m. – Welcome remarks

9:05-10:20 a.m. – Session I: A conversation with Michael A. Nutter, former mayor of Philadelphia

During his time in office, Mayor Michael A. Nutter was charged with leading the city of Philadelphia through an economic recession - requiring him to make difficult (and sometimes unpopular) decisions. And in 2015, a tragic Amtrak derailment put Mayor Nutter at the forefront of crisis communications analysis. Mayor Nutter will provide attendees with perspectives on his time in office, discussing lessons learned from the challenges he faced in providing transparent communications to the media and the public.

10:30-11:45 a.m. – Session II: Best practices for communicating in times of crisis

When bad news breaks, journalists and communicators can find themselves in a tug-of-war for information. A panel of expert communicators and seasoned journalists will discuss the challenges of internal and external communication in crisis situations, including best practices from varying perspectives.

Panelists include:

• Eric B. Dezenhall – crisis management consultant, author, and founder of Washington, D.C. –based public relations firm Dezenhall Resources


• Ray Suarez – broadcast journalist and host of Inside Story on Al Jazeera


• Gordon Lambourne – communications consultant, G5 Communications, LLC and former SVP, Global Public Relations for Marriott


• Angela Greiling Keane - deputy tech editor, POLITICO Pro


• Tom McMahon (moderator) – Vice President Advocacy & Public Affairs, Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International and National Press Club Board of Governors

 

12:00-1:30 p.m. – Luncheon Keynote: George E. Condon, White House correspondent, National Journal

What can this year's presidential election teach us about crisis communications?
From allegations of racism to email servers, from sexual harassment accusations to Wikileaks, this year's presidential election was a whirlwind of one crisis after another. How did the Trump campaign crisis response compare to Clinton's? Did social media play a role in minimizing or amplifying crisis situations? What key takeaways can communicators and journalists apply from the campaign trail in their day-to-day?

1:30-1:35 p.m. – Closing remarks and adjourn

Admission: $75 for the general public - $50 for NPC members (see instructions below to login)

Follow the conversation on Twitter: #NPClive