Strategy and Message Development

“Deb Hileman gave an incredibly detailed, data-driven and well-prepared training on crisis communication. Her examples were timely and the information and circumstances presented were well-catered to the individuals participating. Her experience speaks for itself. She has a varied employment history in the areas of crisis communication and hearing about her personal experiences in the field gave it a necessary personal touch. She also broke down what all should be included in a crisis communications plan. I've applied all information to my current position in public relations for higher education. "

“Deb Hileman gave an incredibly detailed, data-driven and well-prepared training on crisis communication. Her examples were timely and the information and circumstances presented were well-catered to the individuals participating. Her experience speaks for itself. She has a varied employment history in the areas of crisis communication and hearing about her personal experiences in the field gave it a necessary personal touch. She also broke down what all should be included in a crisis communications plan. I've applied all information to my current position in public relations for higher education. "

“I also participated in her media training and left feeling significantly more prepared for media interviews, press conferences and general planning regarding circumstances of crisis. She broke media interviews down to their most basic forms and we examined every aspect of how to present one's self, from body language to the type of responses recommended in delicate and often-times no-win situations."

"I couldn't rate Deb Hileman any higher. It was one of the best trainings I've attended in the area of public relations. Her training was recommended to me by a colleague. I will continue to recommend her training to other colleagues in the areas of public relations, higher education, journalism and others.”

“The Institute for Crisis Management is a wonderful resource for consulting and training. Deb is a patient listener and teacher. The training I received has benefited me and my company and I will definitely have new staff members participate in this training. If an emergency comes up, I am glad to know that I have Deb available to navigate the process. “

“The exercises and worksheets were so helpful. This caused me to think critically and apply what was learned in the lectures. The guided exercises were extremely valuable. Helped to put the pieces together and the immediate feedback helped he learning.”

“I enjoyed how the course was filled with real life examples of crisis scenarios and how the communication was handled. These examples along with the case studies and video clips kept the course really interesting and brought it to life. I found the instructor to be engaging and extremely well educated and experienced on the course material. Participation was encouraged throughout and made me feel like a valued member of the course/team. Triggered my strategic thinking. This course will effect how I view the news/media moving forward and allow me to more critically analyze how organizations handle crises. This course will also help me relate to the clients I work with in these roles and perhaps offer some of the lessons I've learned.”

“Really enjoyed the interaction with instructor and the collaboration with other students during group exercises. Provided an effective platform to generate ideas and responses.”

“The group was a wonderful set of professionals with various backgrounds that enriched very well researched trainer's knowledge. It was clear that trainers have vast practical knowledge that they very willingly and interestingly shared with participants. Best crisis comms course I attended. The handouts were amazing, all the expertise from the instructors and fellow students was extremely valuable to me as a newbie in this industry. Deb has crafted a genius program and I can't wait to enroll in the next course when it is announced.”

“I think that this course surprised me. I went into it expecting that it would be entirely lecture based and that I would likely tune out for most of the time as is the case with other virtual/remote courses. All in all, the course was very engaging and well thought out. The information was presented in a logical manner and the discussions within the small group was one of the best parts of the course. Hearing from all different industries and sectors made for a great course!”

“This was a excellent refresher for me. The worksheets and power point will be valuable resources in the future. Interacting with other experts really helped me learn new ideas. I have renewed confidence in the work I do and know I have a good resource with ICM. Thank you!”

“Enjoyed it enormously, great learning experience. Only complain that it was to short, time flew and left us wanting more.”