Crisis & Reputation Management

When something goes wrong — or threatens to — the way you respond in the first hours and days shapes your reputation for years. Most organizations don't fail in a crisis because they lack information. They fail because they don't have a clear voice, a trusted process, or someone who can help them think and communicate clearly when the pressure is highest.

This is some of the most consequential work I do. And it's where nearly 30 years of communications experience across sectors matters most.

What this looks like in practice

Crisis Preparedness

The best time to prepare for a crisis is before you're in one. I work with organizations to assess vulnerabilities, develop response protocols, build key message frameworks for likely scenarios, and train leadership teams to communicate effectively under pressure. This is the work that buys you time and credibility when something actually happens.

Active Crisis Response

When you're in the middle of it, you need a clear head and an experienced partner who can help you assess the situation, determine what to say and to whom, sequence your communications, and protect your reputation while you navigate the issue at hand. I step in as a strategic advisor and communications lead — working alongside your team in real time.

Reputation Recovery

After the immediate crisis has passed, the work of rebuilding trust begins. I help organizations and leaders assess the reputational damage, identify the right audiences to address, develop a sustained communications strategy, and show up consistently in ways that rebuild credibility over time. Recovery is rarely a single message — it's a process.

Investment

Crisis work is scoped based on the nature of the situation, the level of support required, and the timeline involved. Crisis preparedness work starts at $6,000 and may also include a half-day leadership training session. Active response, based on the circumstances, could be engaged on a project, daily rate, or monthly retainer. In some cases, this work may be covered by your insurance company.

All crisis engagements begin with a confidential discovery conversation. If you're in an active situation, reach out to me directly.

75% of organizational crises don't erupt overnight — they smolder.

Most crises have warning signs that go unaddressed. That means three out of four situations that damage an organization's reputation were, at some point, preventable — or at least manageable — before they became headlines.

Source: Institute for Crisis Management Annual Crisis Report, 2024