Crisis Communications

Are you prepared for the media when they show up at your door while you are in the middle of a crisis? 

A crisis situation can hit a business, not-for-profit or any organization unexpectedly at any time. Often, the news media with TV cameras in hand is not far behind.  Bill Corbett, crisis communications expert and President of Corbett Public Relations will lead an in-depth panel discussion on this important topic.

Expert panelists will include executives from business, healthcare and utility sectors who will share their crisis management stories. They will also offer effective best practices for preparing for and mitigating negative media coverage from crisis events.

Register online.  

Moderator: 
Bill Corbett, Jr., President, Corbett Public Relations, Inc.

Panelists: 
Tim Kelchner, Good Samaritan
Angela Marshall, Nassau BOCES
David Gaier, PSEG
Nicholas Scibetta, Stony Brook University

Bios:

Bill Corbett is President of Corbett Public Relations, Inc., an award-winning public and media relations firm based in Floral Park, NY. He is a professional speaker and award-winning TV show host. Corbett Public Relations acts as both promoters and protectors of clients’ businesses and brands. Bill is a recognized expert in crisis public relations. He and his firm have successfully managed crisis events for clients that have been the focus of local, state, national and international media. He has managed crisis related to tax fraud, bankruptcy, blackmail, embezzlement, consumer fraud, criminal accusations, accidental deaths, bribery, fires, cyberattacks and many others. Firm works with clients based on Long Island and in other parts of the United States to prepare for and develop plans for preventing and managing crisis situations. The firm’s clients regularly receive positive publicity and attention in all local and many national media outlets, including Newsday, News 12 Long Island, Long Island Business News, FiOS 1 News, WABC-TV, CNBC, Fox Business Network, AP, Inc., Entrepreneur and The Huffington Post.

Tim Kelchner is the Public Relations Manager at Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip.  Tim joined Good Samaritan in 2016 and specializes in media relations and crisis management. He’s also the editor of the Medical Center’s employee and community publications. Since his arrival, Good Sam physicians and staff have been featured on, “The Today Show” and “Good Morning America,” as well as several regional and local news outlets.

Prior to joining the Medical Center, Tim spent 10 years working in broadcast news as an anchor and reporter, most recently at News12 Long Island.  During his award-winning career, Tim worked at several regional network affiliates and in 2014, he had the privilege of covering the Sochi Winter Olympics with NBC News.  Tim is a member of the Public Relations Professionals of Long Island. He is also actively involved with the Bay Shore Lions Club and St. Patrick’s Church.   

Angela Marshall is an award-winning public relations strategist and writer, with extensive experience in public and private education communications. She leads the Communications Office for Nassau BOCES, a cooperative of the 56 school districts in Nassau County. Prior to joining the agency, she was a Communications Specialist for New York Institute of Technology, a global university with multiple campuses.

Angela has a long history of crisis communications work, having started her career as a reporter and editor. She was editor of the Rockville Centre Herald during the 911 terrorist attacks. Angela is an integral member of Nassau BOCES’ Emergency Response Team and has managed communications during a number of major events, including two hurricanes, a small plane crash and a murdered teacher.

She is Immediate Past President of the New York School Public Relations Association and Vice President (Nassau) of the Long Island School Public Relations Association.

David Gaier is Director of Communications for PSEG Long Island, joining last September from NRG where he was Senior Director of Communications and spokesman for nine years. A former Sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps and former Special Agent with the U.S. Department of State, he served in Morocco, Egypt and Lebanon. His previous positions include Vice President of Golin/Harris in San Francisco and Vice President of Marketing at Urbitran Associates, a New York City Engineering firm. Dave earned a B.A. in Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs from Miami University Ohio, and spent a year at the American University in Cairo, Egypt and a semester at Tel Aviv University in Israel.

Nicholas Scibetta is Vice President for Communications and Marketing and the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Stony Brook University, where he is responsible for the University’s overarching global communications, brand strategy and visual identity. He oversees strategic communications, issues and crisis, marketing, publications and social media for all University entities, including Main Campus, Stony Brook Medicine and the Stony Brook University Hospital system, Stony Brook Southampton and the Research and Development Park. As VP for Marketing and Communications, Nicholas reports to the President, is a member of the University Council leadership team and the Medicine Senior Executive Group, and works closely with other Vice Presidents and Deans. One of Nicholas’ most significant responsibilities is his role as a crisis communications counselor for the University. As the largest single site employer on Long Island, and a flagship of the SUNY system, Stony Brook operates much like a city, with its own accredited Police Department, NCAA Division I Athletic Program, Emergency Operations Center, transportation system, energy plant and facilities and construction operations. The University’s relationship and reputation with the communities it serves on campus, its surrounding communities, public officials and the media, is of the utmost importance, and Nicholas is engaged daily in developing proactive and reactive communications strategies to help steward the reputation of Long Island’s only public research university with these audiences.

Prior to joining Stony Brook University, Nicholas was a Partner and Global Director at Ketchum Public Relations. At Ketchum he created, implemented and grew the Agency’s Global Media Network to over 300 industry-leading professionals in media relations and social media. As Global Director he also oversaw national and international communications programs, provided senior strategic and global media planning counsel and placement for Fortune 500 clients, in addition to representing a number of individual countries. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Siena College in New York and is a member of The Foreign Press Association.