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A Risk Communication Overview for Business

There have been many presentations on preparation for potential disasters, like a Bird Flu Pandemic. However, the focus is often on what to do and have ready. All presentations make one significant assumption, that you, as a disaster planner or corporate leader, will communicate your messages effectively.

Very seldom is there any attention given to the process of communication with employees, their families, customers and business partners during an emergency. In this situation, where how the message is communicated may be more important than the factual content, normal business communications may not be the most effective way to deliver a message.

A discipline for shaping the content, phrasing and delivery of critical information to the public during a crisis has been developing over the past few years. This methodology can apply to any situation where the message must be delivered to an audience experiencing stress or concern over events they have little or no control over.

At this InfraGard Pittsburgh event, Dr. Sandra Crouse Quinn of the University of Pittsburgh will give a high level overview of this discipline, "Risk Communications", how it works and how it may be beneficial to your business.

When:
Monday, April 6, 2009
9:00AM - 11:30AM

Where:
Jordan Auditorium
The Software Engineering Institute (SEI)
Carnegie Mellon University
4500 Fifth Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890
[Map]

Agenda:
  8:00 am –   8:30 am     Arrival / Registration / Networking
  9:00 am – 11:00 am     Dr. Sandra Crouse Quinn » Presentation Slides [PDF]
11:00 am – 11:30 am     Q&A / Networking

    Overview of subject material:
  1. What is crisis and emergency risk communication
  2. How is it used successfully in Government & Public Health
  3. Applicability to business
  4. Value of risk communication
  5. High level walk through of process & principles
    (in a situational example)

Speaker:
Sandra Crouse Quinn, Ph.D.

Dr. Quinn is the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Education and Associate Professor in the Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences at the Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh. She is the Co-Principal Investigator on a 5 year, CDC funded research center, Public Health Adaptive Systems Studies, which focuses on public health systems' capacities to respond to disasters and emergencies. She is also the Co-Principal Investigator on a 5 year Center for Excellence in Research on Minority Health Disparities, funded by the National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities, NIH.

She was the Principal Investigator on a recent CDC funded study on communication between postal workers and public health professionals during the 2001 anthrax attack. Dr. Quinn teaches Risk Communication, a required course in the Certificate in Public Health Preparedness and Disaster Response. She is the Communications instructor in the Senior Crisis Management Seminar, organized by the American University under contract to the US State Department. The Seminar is a one week long, intensive program addressing a wide range of issues relating to crisis/emergency management for senior professionals from foreign governments.

Her research interests include engagement of minority and marginalized communities in research; community advisory boards; and risk communication in emergencies and disasters. Dr. Quinn recently served as the guest editor of a theme issue on emergency risk communication and pandemic influenza for the journal, Health Promotion Practice. She serves on the editorial board of Health Education & Behavior and the editorial advisory board of Health Promotion Practice.

Directions:

  1. Follow Forbes Avenue to South Bellefield Avenue
    (near the University of Pittsburgh Cathedral of Learning)
  2. Turn left onto South Bellefield Avenue. Stay in right lane.
  3. Turn right at the next light onto Fifth Avenue.
  4. Turn right at the next light onto Dithridge Street.
  5. Turn left into SEI garage just after Henry Street.

Click here for a map.

Parking:
There is usually parking available in the SEI Parking Garage accessible from Dithridge Street. There are parking meters along Dithridge Street, Craig Street and in front of the SEI on Fifth Avenue. There is also a valet parking garage under the building on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Craig Street.

Registration:
We're sorry, registration for this event is now closed.