This Crisis & Risk Communications workshop is intended to support your crisis communication planning and response by providing a greater understanding of:

• the fundamental importance of building trust and credibility,
• how to identify specific audiences and target messages, 
• public perceptions of risk and how to recognize and respond to them, 
• how to develop strategies for successful public consultation, 
• how emotions affect comprehension,   
• how crisis & risk communications can improve your overall risk management program,
• the media, it's needs, and how to help get your message reported successfully, 
• how ethical risk communication can be used to enhance credibility,
• how to build a risk communication program within your organization,

Previous participants have asked, and we are happy to note that Dr. Covello will also include two additional blocks of material: 

• The first new block will focus on the effective use of social media. 
• The second new block will focus on difficult conversations and how to deal with difficult people.

Dr. Vincent Covello is the founder and Director of the Center for Risk Communication in New York City. 

He is a nationally and internationally recognized researcher and expert in risk, crisis, and strategic communications. He has trained and consulted for several hundred organizations. Dr. Covello’s assignments include training, workshops, and consultations related to a wide range of high concern or high stress issues, including communications about disease outbreaks, organizational change, terrorism, shootings, food safety, environmental clean- up, radiation, air pollution, water pollution, vaccination, industrial accidents, natural hazards, and pandemic influenza.  Over the past thirty years, Dr. Covello has held positions in academia and government. 

Prior to establishing the Center for Risk Communication, he was Associate Professor of Environmental Sciences and Clinical Medicine at Columbia University (1988-1992). Dr. Covello also serves as an advisor to the World Health Organization, the US Department of Health and Human Services, the US Environmental Protection Agency, the US Department of Agriculture, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other national and international agencies.   Dr. Covello is the Past President of the Society for Risk Analysis, a professional association with over 5000 members. Dr. Covello received his doctorate from Columbia University in 1976 and his bachelors with honors and masters degrees in epidemiology from Cambridge University in England.  

Dr. Covello has authored or edited more than 25 books and over 150 published scientific articles on risk and crisis communications. One of his books, “Effective Media Communication During Public Health Emergencies: A World Health Organization Handbook”  is currently being used by agencies and organizations around the world to communicate effectively before, during, and after public health crises, including pandemic influenza.

Dr. Covello is a member of the Centre for Crisis & Risk Communication advisory board.

A lunch is provided on Tuesday.

Coffee and refreshments will be provided throughout the day.