Crisis Communications: How to Lead When the Stakes Are Highest

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Timing

This event will comprise one (1) live Zoom session from 1 - 2:30 pm ET on June 18.

Unable to make the live session? A recording will be made available (automatically to those who register) within a week after the session takes place, though continuing education credits can only be provided for attending live event.

Delivery Method / Learning Environment

This course is a Group Internet based offering (via Zoom) and combines real-time presentation, polling questions, real-world examples, knowledge-check quizzes, Q&A, and group discussion.

Event Overview

When bad news breaks, it rarely starts with a press release — it starts online, spreads instantly, and shapes public perception long before the facts are clear. Will your organization be ready?

In today’s environment, the Court of Public Opinion is always in session. And in a crisis, the instinct to explain, defend, or delay can make matters worse. Effective crisis communication requires a different skill set — one grounded in discipline, clarity, and credibility.

Join Bruce Hennes, CEO of Hennes Communications, for a practical, no‑nonsense session on how to respond when reputations are on the line. You’ll learn why instinctive “fight‑or‑flight” reactions often deepen a crisis, how to influence public perception when facts alone aren’t enough, and how to protect trust, credibility, and legal interests at the same time.

Topics

Why instinctive “fight‑or‑flight” responses often escalate a crisis
How to shape public perception when facts alone won’t carry the day
Strategies for protecting trust, credibility, and legal interests simultaneously
What to do in the crucial early hours when rumors spread faster than facts
How to communicate with discipline and confidence under intense pressure
The role of leadership presence and tone in crisis response
Common mistakes organizations make — and how to avoid them

Who Should Attend

Utility leaders and managers
Communications, public relations, marketing, and media relations personnel
Legal counsel
Policymakers
Others who interact with customers and the media

Course Level / Prerequisites / Advance Preparation

Basic Level: No prerequisites; no advance preparation. All materials will be available at least 24 hours in advance of the class (through your APPA user portal) with access instructions, so you can download in advance to take notes.

Technology Requirements

Computer Access: Each attendee should join from their own computer to fully participate in discussions and exercises. Individual Zoom login links will be sent 24 hours before the course.
Zoom Meeting Application: Attendees are required to have strong Internet access, in order to run the Zoom meeting platform.
Audio/Webcam: You will need to enable computer audio to listen and speak (alternatively a call-in number will be provided) and we recommend a webcam, so you can fully engage in the group discussions.
- Additional details on the Zoom platform can be found under the “More Information” tab.
Group Participation: If you plan to join as a group from a conference room, please contact Academy@PublicPower.org in advance.
Course Materials: Attendees will receive access to course materials 24 hours before the course begins through the “Documents” section of their My.PublicPower.org user portal. Materials can only be accessed using secure APPA portal credentials and will be provided in PDF format.

Accreditation

The following continuing education credits will be provided for this Group Internet based event, after successfully completing 90% of the live sessions. Review the guidelines for successful completion in the “Accreditation” dropdown below.

Recommended CEUs .1/PDHs 1.5
CPE Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge

Instructor

Bruce Hennes is CEO of Hennes Communications, one of only 20 firms in the U.S. ranked in the category of Crisis PR and Communications by Chambers and Partners.

Hennes Communications serves nearly 200 clients a year in virtually every market sector imaginable – including government agencies, hospitals, schools, nursing homes and nonprofit organizations, as well as law firms and their clients - most of which are “on trial” in the Court of Public Opinion.

Bruce has done similar seminars for the APPA’s Legal & Regulatory Conference and many of our state and local members, as well as for the American Bar Association’s Leadership Conference, the Association of Corporate Counsel, the International Municipal Lawyers Association, the Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association and the Maritime Lawyers Association.

Bruce is a longtime member of the executive committee of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association. He is also an assistant professor at the Scripps School of Communications at Ohio University and on the faculty of the Ohio State Bar Association’s Leadership Academy.

Disclosure: The instructor has no proprietary or financial interests in any products, services, or materials discussed in this course.

Questions?

Registration/Billing: Registration@PublicPower.org
Schedule/Content/Accreditation: Academy@PublicPower.org

Registration

Register now!

Registration Fees

Registration is for individual access. If you have multiple people interested in attending, group discounts are available.

	Members*
Crisis Communications: How to Lead When the Stakes Are Highest	$175
*Nonmembers pay double the member rate

Group Discounts

Save money when your organization registers five or more people for the same class or the bundled series. The larger your group, the more you save!

Registrations must be submitted on the same order (at the same time) to qualify for the group discount; discounts cannot be retroactively applied to previous orders.

If you need assistance, contact Registration@PublicPower.org.

Number of Registrants	Discount (per person)
1-4	n/a
5-9	$50
10-14	$100

Registration Help

Check out our Registration FAQs for answers to the most common questions and help with all your registration-related issues.

Cancellations /No-Show/ Refunds/ Substitutions

All webinars will be recorded and attendees will automatically receive a copy of the recordings, in case you can’t attend live.

Registrants who cancel in writing at least 7 days in advance of the first webinar in the series are entitled to a refund of their registration fee, minus a $100 cancellation fee. Registrants who cancel after that will not receive a refund, but attendee substitutions will be allowed for this event only. Registrants and no-shows who do not cancel at least 7 days before the course start date are responsible for the full registration fee and are not entitled to a refund.

Cancellations must be received on/before June 11.

Cancellation requests should be made through your My.PublicPower portal, or addressed to: Registration@PublicPower.org.

Accreditation & Event Policies

Learn more about APPA’s Accreditation and Event Policies or contact APPA’s Education Team with questions Academy@PublicPower.org.

Code of Conduct

All who register to participate, attend, speak at, or exhibit at an APPA Event, and all participants in APPA committees, work groups, courses, or other APPA groups, must agree to comply with this Code of Conduct (review and acceptance of the Code is included in the registration process).

Questions?

Registration/Billing: Registration@PublicPower.org
Schedule/Content/Accreditation: Academy@PublicPower.org

Accreditation

Earn While You Learn!

Participate in live virtual programs to earn IACET Continuing Education Units (CEUs), Professional Development Hours (PDHs) and NASBA Continuing Professional Education credits (CPEs). Participate in live virtual programs to earn IACET Continuing Education Units (CEUs), Professional Development Hours (PDHs) and NASBA Continuing Professional Education credits (CPEs)—credit availability, completion requirements, and number of credits vary by course and are confirmed with attendees upon registration and before and during a course.

Learn more about APPA’s Accreditation and Event Policies here.

Requirements for Successful Completion: Virtual

Registration is for individual access, so each person participating must register. If you have multiple people interested in attending, group discounts are available. To receive continuing education credits for live learning events, attendees must meet the requirements for successful completion which include:

Attendance: Individuals must attend at least 90% of all live sessions (based on electronic timestamps in Zoom).
Active participation: Engage in learning event activities (tracked electronically).
- Activities vary by class: Active participation in class will include engagement activities such as: Zoom polling/check-in questions, reactions and chat box contributions, and knowledge-check quizzes (all tracked electronically). There may also be small group breakout sessions, in-class exercises, and Q&A sessions.
  - Information on participation requirements will be provided at least 24 hours before (and at the beginning of) class.
Online evaluation: Each person must complete an online evaluation after the course concludes (tracked electronically).

Important Notes

Individual Registration: Each participant must register separately and will receive a unique Zoom login link. Attendees should join from their own computer to fully participate in discussions and exercises. Individual Zoom login links will be sent 24 hours before the course. Group discounts are available for multiple attendees.
No Partial Credit: Credit cannot be awarded for partial attendance.
Completion Certificates: Certificates will be available within two weeks of course completion via your APPA user portal (instructions provided) for those who meet the criteria for successful completion.
Session Recordings: All virtual sessions are recorded (unless otherwise noted). Attendees will receive access within one week of the final session. Recordings remain available for 90 days, but continuing education credits require live attendance.

Guidelines for Group Participation in Virtual Events

Individual Logins Recommended: If a group joins from a conference room, each participant should log in individually from a laptop to meet attendance and participation requirements.
If Individual Logins Are Not Possible:
- Designate one point of contact for the group.
- Email Academy@PublicPower.org before the event with:
  - Name of the person responsible for tracking attendance and participation (APPA can provide a sample tracker).
  - Submit the completed attendance record to APPA within 2 business days after the event.
  - Ensure each participant completes the required online evaluation.

What educational credits are available?

You can earn the following kinds of continuing education credits for attending live sessions — provided the Requirements for Successful Completion noted above are met:

Continuing Education Units (CEUs): The American Public Power Association is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard. IACET is recognized internationally as a standard development organization and accrediting body that promotes quality of continuing education and training. For information regarding certification status, attendance requirements and obtaining attendee transcripts, contact Academy@PublicPower.org. Verify our IACET Accreditation.

Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Credits: The American Public Power Association is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org. For more information regarding administrative policies, such as clarification of requirements, complaints, and refunds, please contact Academy@PublicPower.org. Professional Development Hours (PDHs): The American Public Power Association’s educational practices are consistent with the criteria for awarding Professional Development Hours (PDHs) as established by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). Course eligibility and number of PDHs may vary by state.

Professional Development Hours (PDHs): The American Public Power Association’s educational practices are consistent with the criteria for awarding Professional Development Hours (PDHs) as established by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). Course eligibility and number of PDHs may vary by state.

Contact Us

Registration/Billing:Registration@PublicPower.org
Program/Content/Accreditation:Academy@PublicPower.org

Additional Information

Format and Log-In Information

This webinar will be offered on the Zoom meeting platform.

Communication

24 hours after registering: You’ll receive a confirmation email within 24 hours of registering, which contains some preliminary information.
24 hours before: You’ll receive your Zoom log in link the day before the first session in a course (sent from the APPA Academy’s Zoom account <no-reply@zoom.us>)
- You’ll also receive a final logistics email 24 hours in advance of the first class.
If you don’t receive this correspondence, email Academy@PublicPower.org

Course Access and Materials

Zoom Links: Zoom log in credentials will be sent out 24 hours before the start of the first session.
Course Materials: Attendees will receive access to course materials the day before each session through the "Documents" section of their My.PublicPower.org user portal.
Recordings: All sessions will be recorded and can be accessed through your user portal as well (within a week of the last class in the program), in case you can’t attend the live versions. Recordings will be accessible for 90 days after the last session. Note: Continuing education credits can only be issued for attending live sessions.

Technology Requirements

Computer: Each attendee needs to work from their own computer to fully participate in the discussions and exercises.
- Contact Academy@PublicPower.org if you are participating as a group in a conference room
Zoom Meeting Application: Attendees are required to have strong Internet access, in order to run the Zoom meeting platform. Please see below for more information on downloading the Zoom Web Client.
Audio/Webcam: You will need to enable computer audio to listen and speak (alternatively a call-in number will be provided) and you will also need a webcam, so you can fully engage in the small group breakout sessions and group discussions.
Padlet Site: The instructor will also utilize a Padlet site to provide additional resources and post after-session assignments.

New to Zoom?

If you haven't participated in a Zoom meeting before, please download the Zoom web client from the Zoom Download Center. This will enable you to access all of the Zoom tools and functionality vs. using the web version. Then, visit Zoom.us/test to ensure you are able to join a meeting.

If you are not able to download the Zoom web client, you can still participate via your Internet browser. We recommend using Chrome for the best results.

Privacy and Security

The American Public Power Association takes your privacy and security very seriously. For this reason, we have put the following security measures in place for this course: