A quick look at the headlines reveals just how timely the topic of crisis management is to communication students. In response, public relations executives Harold Hamana and Alfredo Richard will appear on a panel, “Adventures in PR: Managing Crises in Today’s World,” at 3:35 p.m. Monday, Feb. 16, in Studio A as part of the School of Communication’s 10th annual Communication Week.

“Any corporation has a major crisis every 10 years,” says Dr. Don Stacks, director of the School’s public relations program and panel moderator.  “But now it’s seeming more prolific. Just look at how some of these things have not been managed very well.”

Hamana is the practice director for Burson-Marsteller, a global public relations and communications firm. He earned his master’s degree in public relations from the School of Communication in 2002 and now is an adjunct lecturer there.

Richard is the senior vice president for communications and talent development for the Telemundo network.  Before joining Telemundo, Richard worked as a senior level executive at Claxson Interactive Group and MTV Latin America.

The panelists will each present their experiences with crisis management cases and then follow with a question and answer session. 

“You’ve got two people who have gone through crisis communications that are going to relate those incidences to the audience,” says Stacks.  “I think it’s a panel that’s important.  I think it’s a panel that you can learn something from.”

Lazara Ballester
(305) 284-6748
lballester@umiami.edu