Panelists

Lynn Perry Wooten
Lynn Perry Wooten, a seasoned academic and an expert on organizational development and transformation, is the ninth president of Simmons University. She is the first African American to lead the University. Specializing in crisis leadership, diversity and inclusion, and positive leadership, Dr. Wooten is an innovative leader and prolific author and presenter. Dr. Wooten holds a bachelor’s degree from North Carolina A&T State University, where she was valedictorian; an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business; and a doctorate from the University of Michigan. In addition, she received a Certificate in Advanced Educational Leadership from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. She is the author of nearly 30 journal articles, more than 15 book chapters and four books. Beyond all her accomplishments, Dr. Wooten currently serves on the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, the Boston Public Library Board of Trustees, the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Trustee Advisory Board, the JFK Library Foundation Board of Advisors, the Fenway Alliance Board of Directors, The George School Board of Trustees, the MASCO Board of Directors, and the GBH Board of Trustees.

Richard Levick
Richard Levick, Esq. is Chairman & CEO of LEVICK, representing countries and companies in the highest-stakes global communications matters. Mr. Levick has been honored multiple times on the prestigious list of “The 100 Most Influential People in the Boardroom” and has been named to multiple professional Halls of Fame for lifetime achievement. He is the co-author of four books and is a regular commentator on television and in print. Richard hosts the daily podcast for the Corporate Counsel Business Journal which draws the highest profile guests from former U.S. Attorneys General to former legal counsels to U.S. presidents.

Carey Dearnley
Carey Dearnley is a Senior Consultant at Local Wisdom, and is positioned as an Executive and Sales Communication Leader at Janssen Pharmaceutical. She is responsible for driving the organization’s strategic narrative, town halls, senior leader communications, special projects, and change management. In her two decades of experience, Carey has worked as a press secretary on Capitol Hill and in various agency and in-house roles, where she has been a strategic partner to leaders on crisis and issues management, executive positioning, change management, employee engagement, thought leadership and brand strategy and reputation.

David KIucsik
Corporate crises have characterized (some would say "plagued") David KIucsik’s professional life from his first job as a newspaper reporter, right thru his communications work for a global chemical company. He provides that unique perspective for clients, via his own Same Page consultancy on reputation risk, as well as Princeton Strategic Communications, a full-service agency.

Moderators

Rick Alcantara
Rick Alcantara is president of Rick Alcantara Consulting. He advises corporate, nonprofit and government clients on public relations, crisis communications, social media and digital marketing. He is president of IABC Philadelphia, past president and current director-at-large of PRSA Philadelphia, and a member of PRSA's Counselor's Academy.

Audra Hession
Audra is executive vice president of marketing and communications at OWL Services and founder and CEO of Unbridled Communications. She is also president of IABC New York Tristate.