Crisis happens. But it isn’t the crisis itself that poses the greatest risk, but how you choose to respond to it that will determine the level of impact. While they cannot be avoided, contrary to popular belief, they also do not necessarily have to be bad. The key to successfully navigating a negative situation is to effectively manage future emergencies in advance to mitigate your school’s overall risks. In this session, seasoned crisis communications experts will help you take steps now to think beyond the negative and instead how to approach, respond and pivot to positive messaging when your crisis hits.

Kristin Cole

As President of A. Larry Ross Communications (ALRC), Kristin Cole provides strategic leadership to the agency account team, consults on crisis communications and reputation management projects, and leads the company’s vision and mission. She is constantly looking for cutting-edge ways the Agency can serve its clients. During her nearly 14 years at ALRC, Ms. Cole has served a variety of film, book and ministry clients, including Gordon College, I Am Second, Interstate Batteries, CURE International and HarperCollins Publishing as well as leaders such as Anne Graham Lotz, Dr. Tony Evans, Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, Joel C. Rosenberg, Christine Caine, Dr. Albert R. Mohler and Jon Weece. She also continues to coordinate media and public relations for Pastor Rick and Kay Warren of Saddleback Church. Ms. Cole is a graduate of Union University in Jackson, Tenn., where she earned a communication arts degree with an emphasis in public relations/advertising and was elected President of the Student Government Association. She currently serves on the Union University Board of Regents and Religion Newswriters Association Membership Committee and chairs the Honors and Awards Committee for the Dallas Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).

Kerri Ridenour

Kerri Ridenour, PHR, SHRM-CP, has spent her professional career focused in the area of consulting with small to medium-sized companies, non-profits, and academic institutions advising them on strategic preparation, human resources, and crisis planning. She permanently joined the ALRC team in May of 2006. As Chief Operating Officer, she leads the Agency’s business acquisitions, day-to-day operations and utilizes her human resources expertise and certifications to act in an advisory capacity on a variety of crisis communications projects. Kerri is a SRHM Certified Personnel (SRHM-CP) Consultant and a Certified Professional in Human Resources (PHR) who before joining ALRC, served as President of The Bask Group, Inc., a Dallas based consulting firm specializing in operations, personnel, strategic and tactical planning, and compliance.