Page 15 - Crisis Communication Practical PR Strategies

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x xiv List of Contributors
Elizabeth Seigenthaler Courtney (United States) is
Chairman/CEO of Seigenthaler Public Relations, Inc in
Nashville, TN. She serves as a consultant in the man-
agement of strategic communication programmes on
behalf of the firm’s clients. A graduate of Boston
College with a degree in English and Communications,
Beth joined SPR in 1987 after working with firms in
Boston, MA and London, England. Elected President of the firm in
1997 and then CEO in 2004, Beth is recognized as a business and civic
leader and holds such merits as Leadership Foundation Fellow by the
International Women’s Forum, top ‘40 Nashvillians under 40’ by
Business Nashville magazine, and Outstanding Volunteer of the Year by
the Nashville Chamber of Commerce – where she served as an elected
member of the executive board.

Thom M Serafin (United States) has established
himself as one of the pre-eminent communication pro-
fessionals in Illinois over the last 25 years, providing a
host of successes for both public affairs and corporate
clients. He often is called upon in crisis communication
issues to direct and integrate diverse points of view
into a strategic real-time programme for clients. It is
that immediate real-time skill that distinguishes Thom from the com-
petition. In the 1970s, Thom was the political/government correspon-
dent for a state-wide radio network (IRN) focusing on politics and
government. Thom later immersed himself in politics by handling
press for a 1978 US Senate campaign. After moving back to the news
side for two years as assignment editor of a TV and radio organization,
Thom was asked to join the Washington press staff of Senator Alan J
Dixon, returning to Chicago to handle Senator Dixon’s successful
1986 US Senate campaign. Thom left Senator Dixon’s staff in 1986 to
set up his own political and corporate communications consulting
firm, Serafin & Associates.

Tony Shelton (United States) is President of Shelton &
Caudle, the crisis counsel and training division of
Houston-based Vollmer Public Relations. In 16 years
of consulting practice, he has counselled national and
international clients on crises ranging from major
explosions at industrial plants to investigations by
news teams for the US television networks. As an
example, Tony directed the development of an award-winning crisis
communication programme for the US affiliate of a major French
industrial company. The company deemed the programme a best