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Events & Professional DevelopmentOACP Events

2023 Crisis Communications Conference

October 3-4, 2023

Ottawa Conference & Event Centre
200 Coventry Road
Ottawa, ON

Events & Professional Development

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We all know it’s a matter of when, not if you will face a crisis or emergency. Communication in the digital age provides opportunities to reach audiences in real time as never before, but it’s not without its challenges. Today, you are providing timely, accurate information to tech-savvy audiences with multiple means and platforms to exchange and obtain information. In addition  to giving greater means to essential services to reach people, it creates more demand for information quickly, while enabling misinformation to spread like wildfire. The technology itself makes our organizations vulnerable to cyber attacks and negative comments.  

At this conference participants will learn crisis communications management principles and practices,  including harnessing both the good and bad of social media and turning it into a communication opportunity, effectively managing misinformation on social media, how to reduce the risk of a cyber attack and what to do if you have one, and communications lessons learned in the face of a global pandemic. Participants will also be taken through real life case studies for a look at how to prepare for a crisis or emergency in their own organization.

Tuesday, October 3rd, 2023

Keynote Speaker
'Crisis Communications Management'
Dr. Terry Flynn
Associate Professor and Graduate Director
Communication Studies and Media Arts
McMaster University

About Dr. Terry Flynn

Dr. Terry Flynn is one of Canada’s leading public relations/communications management researchers and an important bridge between the academy and the profession. 

In twenty years of communications consulting,  Terry specialized in crisis and risk communications and public/community engagement, working with CN Railway; the Town of Walkerton; the U.S. Navy & Marine Corps Public Health Agency; Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada; Novartis; and the Vinyl Council of Canada before joining the faculty of McMaster University.  

He is currently on the faculty of the Department of Communication Studies & Media Arts at McMaster University in Hamilton, where he founded Canada’s first and only Master of Communications Management degree program.  His innovative teaching style twice earned him  “Professor of the Year” by the DeGroote School of Business. In 2018 he was named “Mentor of the Year” by the Canadian Public Relations Society.







How to Effectively Manage Misinformation During a
Crisis
Janice Babineau, Canadian Red Cross

About Janice Babineau

Janice Babineau is the Senior Director, Digital Communications at the Canadian Red Cross. She first joined the Red Cross in 2008 where she began to specialize in social media and the use digital channels to support people impacted by disasters. She now leads the Canadian Red Cross’ digital communications team where she provides strategic guidance to the organization, often working in the context of emergency responses in Canada and around the world. Janice strives to continuously find new ways to engage diverse audiences through storytelling, while also focusing on delivering accurate and timely information to people who need help.  


Communications: Lessons Learned Through the Pandemic
Ghislain Lamothe, City of Ottawa

About Ghislain Lamothe

Ghislain Lamothe brings a wealth of experience and expertise with his 20+ years in public sector communications, bringing with
him a strong background in crisis and emergency communications. Since joining the City of Ottawa, the nation’s capital has
experienced an array of emergencies that required communications support, including two historic floods, devastating weather
events like tornados and a derecho, the Cenotaph shooting, global pandemic and Freedom Convoy Occupation.

Michaela Schreiter, Ottawa Hospital

About Michaela Schreiter

Michaela Schreiter is the Manager of Communications Strategy and Media Relations at The Ottawa Hospital. As part of
the hospital’s Communications team, she has supported crisis communications and issues management efforts during
the COVID-19 pandemic, the Westboro bus crash and other community incidents. With over 10 years of experience in
Communications, Michaela has worked in a variety of industries, including health care, sports media and technology. The
only things that she loves talking about more than crisis communications are sports, music and her two dogs.





Elizabeth Payne, Ottawa Citizen

About Elizabeth Payne

Elizabeth Payne is an award-winning reporter with the Ottawa Citizen who mainly writes about health and related issues. Her tireless coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic helped guide many readers through the changing landscape and trauma that marked its early months and told the stories of those working on the frontlines and directly affected. She continues to write about COVID-19, as well as other health issues, notably the strain on the health system. Elizabeth lives in Ottawa where she and her husband are parents of two grown daughters.

Wednesday, October 4th, 2023

Case Study: Highland Park Mass Shooting Tragedy
Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli
Lake County Sheriff's Office
Illinois, U.S.A.

About Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli

Chris Covelli began his law-enforcement career in 2004 in the Village of Lincolnshire, Illinois.  In 2010 he transferred to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and has served in several sheriff’s office divisions since then.  Currently, he is the deputy chief of the court security division.  

In 2015 Chris was appointed as the lead public information officer for the sheriff’s office.  He also serves as the lead public information officer for the Lake County Major Crime Task Force.  Chris has been the lead public information officer on hundreds of critical incidents involving mass shootings, homicides, hazardous situations, and many more emergency situations. 

Chris also teaches the media relations module of Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command.  





Case Study: The Gillam Manhunt: Managing Crisis Communications Over the Long-term


Adapting to the Good and Bad of Social Media During a Crisis
Julie Kavanagh, Ottawa Police Service
Cst. Amy Gagnon, Ottawa Police Service
Maeg McGaraughty, Ottawa Police Service

About the Ottawa Police Service Members

Constable Amy Gagnon and Corporate Communications Manager Julie Kavanagh led the Ottawa Police Service’s communications efforts throughout the 2022 Freedom Convoy as part of the integrated event command table (IECT). Supported by Corporate Communications Specialist Maeghan McGaraughty, the team adopted a new approach to OPS communications – sharing operational information with the public in real-time. The team, using social media, was able to contextualize what the public was seeing on various live streams and correct any misinformation before it was widely spread. This approach has been used in subsequent major events and demonstrations, including Rolling Thunder, Canada Day and Convoy 2.0.


The Risks of Cyber Attack and What to Do if You Have a Security Breach
Frank Fazio
CySat Security

Conference Wrap-up

Registration

Register now to secure your spot at this Conference you just don't want to miss!

Registration Fee: $390 + HST

*Registration Fee includes coffee breaks and lunches on both days.

Register Now!

Accommodations

Courtyard by Marriott Ottawa East, Ottawa – Updated 2023 PricesA 15% discounted rate is being offered to all Conference Attendees at the:

Courtyard Ottawa East
200 Coventry Road
Ottawa, ON

 

 

 

 

Reserve Your Room Now!

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