In today’s high-speed information environment, the first 10 minutes of a crisis often determine the next 10 days of public trust. Whether facing a public safety incident, infrastructure failure, natural disaster, or rapidly evolving emergency, organizations are expected to communicate quickly, clearly, and credibly under intense public scrutiny.
This free, one-hour webinar will highlight the hidden communication failures that emerge during crises and introduce a practical framework for evaluating whether your organization is truly prepared to communicate when it matters most.
Webinar Details
📅 Date: May 21, 2026
🕑 Time: 12:00–1:00 p.m. CDT (30 min presentation + 30 min Q&A)
📍 Location: Virtual – link provided after registration
💵 Cost: Free
What You’ll Learn
Why communication breakdowns occur in the first moments of a crisis
How delays, fragmented messaging, and unclear authority structures erode public trust
The role leadership plays in communication speed and organizational readiness
Why emotional intelligence matters as much as factual accuracy during high-pressure incidents
Practical strategies for improving crisis communication coordination and response
How to evaluate whether your organization is prepared to communicate effectively within the first 10 minutes of an incident
Who Should Attend
Municipal leaders, city managers + PIOs
Elected officials + policy leaders
Emergency management officials
Public safety executives + command staff
Homeland security personnel
School district + higher education administrators
Hospital + healthcare administrators
Nonprofits + community response organizations
PR + communications professionals
About the Presenters
Dr. Eric Kowalczyk and Judy Pal, M.S. and have more than 60 years’ combined experience, with a significant history of preparing for and responding to crises, including the crash of SwissAir 111, the Atlanta Tornado, the Baltimore Riots, the October 31 NYC terrorist attack, natural disasters, police-involved shootings, police-involved intentional homicides, line-of-duty deaths, and a host of other tactical and reputational crises. They have also worked with the New York State Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, conducting tabletop (TTX) crisis communications exercises for the MTA, Grand Central Terminal - Madison, and the Moynihan Train Hall. Combined, Eric and Judy have participated in hundreds of local, national, and international television and print media interviews. They have drafted crisis communications plans for and trained federal, state, and municipal governmental bodies in crisis communication response.
Dr. J. Eric Kowalczyk is a nationally recognized crisis communications strategist, author, and public speaker. As the CEO of Connection Point, Eric has guided municipalities, law enforcement agencies, and nonprofits through high-stakes situations, including natural disasters, civil unrest, and large-scale emergencies. His methodology and crisis communication framework have been adopted by leaders nationwide.
Judy Pal, M.S. is a globally recognized communications leader with more than 40 years of experience in executive management, public relations, and crisis communications for municipalities, government and public safety agencies, private sector organizations, and the professional sports and entertainment industries in both Canada and the U.S. Judy has extensive experience dealing with sensitive, image‐threatening issues, including the criminal conduct of police officers, international scandals, and acts of terrorism.