Inaugural Executive Certificate in Crisis and Risk Management brings together leaders

 The Crisis Communication Think Tank (CCTT) at Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, in partnership with Terry College of Business and UGA School of Law, hosted the inaugural three-day Executive Certificate in Crisis and Risk Management March 18–20 at the UGA Terry Executive Education Center in Atlanta. 

The expanded program — the first to span three full days — gathered 18 senior executives from healthcare, energy, financial services, government, and corporate communications for an immersive experience in crisis leadership. Through case studies, peer-to-peer learning, and a capstone simulation exercise, participants built the knowledge, framework and mindset to lead confidently in managing complex crises and critical risks. 

Sessions were led by an accomplished roster of UGA experts and CCTT-affiliated practitioners, including Mike Pfarrer, Associate Dean for Research and Executive Programs at Terry College, who opened the program with a session on critical thinking and strategic decision-making. Timothy Coombs, creator of Situational Crisis Communication Theory, guided participants through crisis communication strategy and stakeholder and message mapping, while Yan Jin, the C. Richard Yarbrough Professor in Crisis Communication Leadership and CCTT director at Grady College, led the cohort through the READINESS™ framework — a multilevel, mindset-centered approach to crisis dynamics — and challenged participants to confront today’s crises driven by polarization, misinformation, and AI. 

Jerry Kane, Department Head of Management Information Systems at Terry College, closed the academic sessions with a forward-looking look at AI and emerging technology, equipping participants with practical prompting frameworks and clear guidance on deploying AI in high-stakes environments. 

For Andrew Huff, Leadership, Employee and Visual Communication Manager at Georgia Power, the blend of scholarship and real-world application stood out. “The opportunity to connect theory, research, and practical experience during the program was invaluable,” he said. “Connecting with scholars and other executives was icing on the cake.” 

Legal sessions were woven throughout the three days. Patrick Conner from the UGA School of Law moderated a practitioner executive panel and led a session on corporate governance and litigation. The panel featured Robert Long (Partner at Alston & Bird), Alex Ebanks (MBA ’23, Communications & Community Engagement at Visa) and Dan Silk (Associate VP for Public Safety at UGA). 

Jason Epstein from Terry College rounded out the legal curriculum with a taxonomy of legal risk — from contract and liability exposure to the emerging intellectual property and compliance questions posed by AI. Rod Smith, Associate Director of the Risk Management and Insurance Program at Terry College, guided participants through enterprise risk management, helping leaders understand how to identify, measure, and finance loss exposures across their organizations. 

The program concluded with a full industry challenge simulation facilitated by Coombs and Epstein, in which cohort teams worked through a realistic crisis scenario — identifying crisis type and responsibility level, mapping stakeholders, developing message maps, and applying legal and risk management considerations under time pressure. 

Cat Elrod, Marketing and Communications Manager at UGA’s J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development, said the experience delivered on every level. “This program exceeded my expectations — the speakers grounded each session in personal expertise alongside rigorous, research-based insight, while my fellow classmates elevated the conversation through an array of real-world experiences,” she said. “I leave with practical tools, a sharper framework for managing risk and navigating crises, and a network of peers who understand the weight of crisis leadership firsthand.” 

For participants whose work centers on public trust, the program’s emphasis on readiness as an ongoing mindset resonated. “This program reinforced how critical it is to anticipate risk, plan ahead, and be prepared to communicate clearly in moments of uncertainty,” said April Sorrow, Vice President of Communication at Jackson EMC. “I’m walking away more confident in how I lead and communicate when our community needs it most.” 

Participants completed the program with an Executive Certificate in Crisis and Risk Management from the Terry Executive Education Center at the University of Georgia. To learn more, visit the CCTT Executive Education webpage.

Author: Anna Rachwalski, anna.rachwalski@uga.edu