ROBBIE ATABAIGI
Robbie Atabaigi is a Lead Specialist with KPMG LLP’s Southeast Cyber practice in Atlanta. She has more than 29 years of experience in developing and evaluating many aspects of enterprise risk management including Emergency Preparedness and Response, Crisis Management, Disaster Recovery, and Business Continuity for prominent international companies. Atabaigi obtained her Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP) certification from the DRI International in 1992 and her Master Business Continuity Professional (MBCP) certification in 2007. In addition, she obtained her MBCI (Member of the Business of Continuity Institute) certification in 2012. She also won the 2015 Business Continuity Institute’s Continuity and Resilience Consultant of the Year award. Prior to joining KPMG in 2003, she worked with an international financial company, as well as a Fortune 50 retail company where she assisted in the development and implementation of their enterprise-wide business continuity programs.
TED BROWN
Ted Brown, CBCP CBCV, President & CEO of KETCHConsulting, is a recognized business continuity industry leader withan extensive professional and leadership career at IBM, Strohl Systems and KETCHConsulting, with 43 years in technology, and 22 years in business continuity. He has provided expertise to the executive, sales, consulting, and service delivery aspects of the industry. He has led the development of hundreds of unique BCP plans and actual recoveries. Brown has shared his experience and expertise through articles and lectures to thousands of BC and DR professionals at CPM, CI, DRJ,CA World, EPICC, MADRA, BOMA, DRIE, CPE, ACP, NEDRIX, and 7×24. Brown’s demonstrated expertise, lectures, articles, client engagements, and actual recoveries are in the areas of Business Continuity, COOP, Disaster Recovery, and Risk Management.
DAVID FORTINO
David Fortino has more than 15 years of experience in emergency management, specializing in emergency response operations, preparedness, recovery, business continuity and crisis management. Currently, Fortino is the Regional Continuity Manager position at FEMA Region II. In this position, Fortino acts as principal preparedness continuity advisor to the FEMA Region II Regional Administrator and senior staff. He is responsible for the delivery ongoing continuity training and exercise opportunities to New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Previously to the detail, Fortino was the Regional Fire Program Specialist for FEMA Region II. He provides strategic implementation of over $25 million in the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG), SAFER, and Fire Prevention and Safety grant programs. He provides authoritative counsel and advisory on all fire program policy, procedures, and training to all aspects of government. In addition, he acts as an advisor and technical specialist to the Caribbean Urban Search & Rescue (US&R) teams to increase their training and capability. He also assist the Nuclear Radiological team as a certified evaluator for mandatory exercises.
Prior, Fortino was the Community Preparedness Officer for FEMA Region II. In this role, Fortino researched and developed community emergency preparedness procedures to all aspects of governments. In addition, he was responsible for developing the first elementary school community preparedness program across New York and New Jersey. Beforehand, Fortino acted as a consultant for the FEMA Public Assistance Program during several presidentially declared disasters in the state of Florida.
Previously, Fortino spent nine years at the Madison Ambulance Association and North Branford Fire Department. At Madison Ambulance Association, Mr. Fortino was the Chief of Service, responsible for the leadership of 50 employees, management of over $1 million operating budget, and day-to-day business operations. Furthermore, he is a certified as an EMT, Firefighter II, Fire Instructor, and Hazmat Operations. Fortino has his B.A. from the University of Connecticut in Urban and Regional Studies.
VICTORIA HEALY
Victoria Healy is a Marketing Business Analyst with BC In The Cloud. As a member of the company’s marketing team, she is an expert in all things Millennial who simultaneously fulfills and busts stereotypes about the “Me Generation,” eager to share her thoughts and impressions on motivational tactics and strategies for integrating this current and future wave of business continuity professionals into the BC community. Healy received a B.S. in Marketing from West Chester University of Pennsylvania.
DAVID HOSIER
A Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP) with over 20 years of experience in Risk Management and Business Continuity (and 28 in retail), David Hosier has held multiple enterprise-level positions within Macy’s, Inc., including Property Risk Control Manager, Sr. Manager Risk Control, and Sr. Manager/Director Business Continuity, and is currently Vice President of Business Resiliency and General Liability Claims. In his current role, Hosier has responsibility for enterprise business continuity governance including business impact analysis, plan development, risk assessment, maintenance and testing standards as well as corporate level crisis management programs focusing on situational intelligence, risk mitigation, crisis communication, and response coordination. He represents Macy’s, Inc. on Accuweather’s Industry Leaders Council and the FEMA/DHS National Business Emergency Operations Center (NBEOC), as well as multiple state/local Office of Emergency Management partner organizations. He previously served as Co-Director of the Contingency Planners of Ohio (South Region). Prior to beginning his career with Macy’s, Hosier received a B.S. in Marketing from Marshall University, Huntington, WV.
TEJAS KATWALA
Tejas Katwala is a Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Continuity Logic. For the past 15 years, Tejas has helped organizations automate business continuity, DR, risk, and compliance programs across the enterprise. Katwala’s methodology includes converging continuity and GRC best practices with business process management to effectively achieve continuous improvement. Previously, he was the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Technologist for Recovery Planner where he launched the company’s software platform and was the first to introduce a cloud-based business continuity management solution that integrated crisis management and business continuity.
Prior to Recovery Planner, Katwala launched Westhill Technologies, where as President he developed the C|3 Platform, a collaborative system for managing online business communities. Applications of the platform included a crisis management system for Westhill Partners customers, connecting John Hancock with its brokers, and connecting Guinness UDV with social advocacies such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).
Katwala holds a BS in Computer and Information Science from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
PHIL LAMBERT
Phil Lambert is the founder and president of Ripcord, previously known as the Center for Continuity Leadership, and has nearly 20 years of experience in business continuity and disaster planning. Prior to that, Lambert led the business continuity programs at two Fortune 500 companies earning a reputation for creating effective, integrated, and innovative business continuity solutions. Lambert is passionate about business continuity and the critical role it plays in today’s increasingly fast-paced and digital world. Through practical ideas and unique insights, he shares how and why to encourage a continuity-minded business culture in your organization.
Founded in 2005, Ripcord is a consulting firm specializing in Crisis Management, Disaster Recovery, Business Continuity, and IT Security. We believe that recovery needs to be a heads-up activity and not a heads-down activity. So, when a crisis, cyber-breach or business disruption occurs, your organization has the plans in place and, more importantly, your people have the muscle memory to execute those plans.
DAVID LINDSTEDT
David is the founder of Readiness Analytics, an organization focused on providing meaningful metrics for preparedness practitioners. He is the creator of the RPC Model of Organizational Recoverability, author of “Measuring Preparedness and Predicting Recoverability,” and co-writer of the Adaptive BC Manifesto. Lindstedt has published in international journals and presented at international conferences. He taught for Norwich University’s Master of Science in Business Continuity Management. He serves on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Business Continuity & Emergency Planning. Lindstedt also serves as Director of Program Management with the Office of Distance Education and eLearning at The Ohio State University, inspiring innovative instruction through emerging technologies.
RACHELLE LOYEAR
Rachelle Loyear’s experience includes the role of Enterprise Director of Business Continuity Management at Time Warner Cable. She is a certified MBCP with DRII, AFBCI with The BCI, PMP with PMI, CISM with ISACA, is the Vice-Chair of the ASIS International Crisis Management/Business Continuity council and is a member of industry organizations such as ACP, CPE, and WICT. With nine years in the Security and BCM field and drawing on a diverse background in Security, BCM, Project Management, and Information Technology, she approaches business continuity, Crisis Management, and disaster recovery with a broad methodology that melds many recovery aspects into a cohesive whole.
JENNIFER MARCH
Jennifer (Jen) March is a crisis communications analyst in Corporate Marketing and Communications at Vanguard. She assists with the coordination of internal and external communications during a major crisis situation, working with communications contacts throughout the organization, as well as business continuity management, public relations, human resources and legal and compliance. She also works to continuously improve the infrastructure and processes of the Crisis Communications program in order to ensure Vanguard is ready to respond in a crisis event.
March joined Vanguard in 2011 as a participant services associate in the Institutional Investor Group. She has also worked to advance the Access Management Program in Marketing and Communications to ensure employees have the correct access to internal systems when joining the department. March earned a bachelor’s degree from Immaculata University and an MBA from Saint Joseph’s University’s Haub School of Business.
GIL MEYER
Gil Meyer is a crisis management expert who inspires creative change in how organizations approach crisis management. He is a sought-after speaker who shares his experiences from the front lines of crises in the corporate world. Meyer worked for DuPont for 29 years, serving in a wide range of Public Affairs and Regulatory Affairs roles. For 12 years he directed the corporate global issues and crisis management programs for DuPont.
Meyer is the author of “Corporate Smokejumper: Crisis Management Tools, Tales and Techniques,” a groundbreaking book that provides an inside look at the gut-wrenching challenges that can befall any organization in today’s fast-paced and complex world. The book describes the tools that Meyer developed over his decades of work in the field and provides real-world examples of crisis management in action — the good, the bad and the unbelievable. This essential guide is laced with wit and wisdom that can only be obtained from behind the closed doors where intense crises are addressed.
Prior to joining DuPont, Meyer served as Deputy Director of the National Institute for Chemical Studies, an organization established to create new ways to bridge between the chemical industry and its concerned stakeholders. Before that, as an EPA contractor, he led the community relations programs for the Superfund sites east of the Mississippi River. He began his career by working on pesticide controversies as part of the West Virginia University Cooperative Extension Service. Meyer holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in plant pathology, both from West Virginia University.
JACOB NEUFELD
Jacob Neufeld is the Enterprise Resiliency Manager for Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and the Sloan Kettering Institute. He is directly responsible for enterprise-wide Clinical and Business Resiliency planning for Memorial Hospital, its network of ambulatory care sites, research facilities, and business entities. In addition to Business continuity responsibilities, Neufeld provides support to MSK’s enterprise-wide Emergency Management Program.
Neufeld is a graduate of Metropolitan College of New York where he earned an MPA in Emergency and Disaster Management. He received his certification as an Associate Business Continuity Planner (ABCP) from DRII and also holds a certification from the Israeli Military Industries School for Security and Anti-Terror Training. Neufeld has in-depth knowledge and experience in comprehensive emergency management and resiliency planning, including HSEEP compliant exercises, response and recovery, and critical infrastructure protection. During his tenure as a consultant for Strategic Emergency Group (SEG), he contributed to the development of a comprehensive Emergency Services Plan for the Hudson Yards Project in NYC and also served as a core team member on a number of SEG projects including statewide exercises for the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency and Missouri Hospital Association. Neufeld formerly volunteered with the Brooklyn American Red Cross chapter serving as a disaster responder and as Coordinator of Continuity of Operations Planning.
RALPH PETTI
Ralph Petti is a certified practitioner and President of Continuity Dynamics, Inc., a global firm based in Wilmington, DE and Basking Ridge, NJ providing Business Continuity, Disaster Recovery and standards-based risk management solutions. Petti is certified as an MBCI; CBCP; GRCP and also serves as a Licensed Real Estate professional which complements his focus on the real estate and construction management industry.
With recognition from the U.S. Senate for his 28 visits providing support to The Gulf Region after Hurricane Katrina, Petti had visited nearby the Fukushima disaster site in Japan. A subject matter expert on ABC-TV, Comcast and FOX Business News, Ralph focuses on the SMB marketplace and Supply Chain relationships between companies and key partners. He is currently an ACP Chapter President, serves on committees at MADRA, CPE, NEDRIX, BOMA, IFMA, RIMS and other industry groups. A resident of Wilmington, DE, Petti is a Rutgers graduate and serves on risk advisory boards at Rutgers, LSU and in service to FEMA and The American Red Cross.
WILLIAM RAISCH
William G. Raisch is the founding Director of the International Center for Enterprise Preparedness (InterCEP) at New York University established with initial funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as the world’s first academic research center dedicated to private sector risk management and resilience. His work at InterCEP focuses on real world impact with an emphasis on the development of actionable strategies and policies through active collaboration with key private sector stakeholders and a holistic approach to risk management and resilience. The Center’s research activity focuses on achieving objectives in uncertain environments with insights from the areas of risk management, strategic planning and innovation. Special emphasis is placed on the “what” and “why” of enterprise risk management and resilience.
Raisch serves as a Fellow at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce National Chamber Foundation focusing on identifying emerging issues that will impact the business community in the future. He is a member of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), a Principal Member of the Technical Committee on Disaster/Emergency Management & Business Continuity (NFPA 1600) and a member to the U.S. Technical Advisory Group to the ISO Technical Committee on Societal Security. He serves on the advisory Committee of Experts for ANAB – the accrediting body for the voluntary Private Sector Preparedness Program (PS-Prep). He also serves as the emergency manager for his home town, the Village of Asharoken, New York. Raisch received his B.A. (Government & Economics) and M.B.A. from Cornell University.
SCOTT REAM
Scott Ream is a business continuity pioneer, leader, author and strategist with over 30 years in IT support, business process design, and consulting services. He has leveraged his experience in the design of Virtual Corporation’s innovative products and services. His vision is that prudent, practical continuity preparedness can be cost-effectively achieved and sustained. Ream created the Business Continuity Maturity Model® (BCMM®) together with assistance from a diverse continuity professional working team. After recognizing a void in the continuity industry, he pioneered the design and development of Sustainable Planner®, an organizational resilience software tool that enables operations managers to build and maintain their own plans. Ream has written many articles on continuity and frequently speaks at conferences. He holds a BAS in electrical engineering & entrepreneurial business development from the University of Pennsylvania and a combined undergraduate degree from the Moore School of Electrical Engineering and the Wharton School of Business.
TRACEY RICE
Tracey Forbes Rice currently serves as Vice President, Customer Engagement for Fusion Risk Management. Tracey brings 20 years of industry experience to Fusion as a recognized industry leader and highly knowledgeable business continuity management software solutions evangelist. She joined Fusion from SunGard Availability Services after beginning her career at Strohl Systems. She is an accomplished leader with passion and proven experience in delivering business continuity management software solutions, and is adept and talented in translating complex business requirements into innovative and strategic solutions.
DAVID STRUMPF
David Strumpf has two decades of experience in the areas of information technology risk and audit, project management, business-continuity planning, crisis management, and governance. Prior to joining Promontory, Strumpf spent several years at Goldman Sachs in groups focused on technology risk and IT audit. He was IT audit director for Goldman Sachs Private Wealth Management and Goldman Sachs Asset Management, where he and his team completed reviews of information security, business-continuity planning, crisis management, application controls, regulatory compliance, and adherence to systems-development methodologies. At Goldman, Strumpf created and rolled out a training program for crisis management and business continuity. Strumpf was also global project manager for Goldman’s pandemic-flu preparedness. Earlier in his career, he was responsible for the quality assurance and information security for Citibank’s private bank in North America and spent several years in London and Zurich building the firm’s QA process.
AMELIA SWAN
Amelia is a project coordinator and research analyst for InterCEP. Her focus is on external communications and outreach for the Metropolitan Resilience Network. Swan graduated from Wake Forest University (Winston-Salem, NC) in May 2011 with a Bachelor’s in Communication.
DOUGLAS WELDON
Doug Weldon is currently the Director – Operational Risk and Incident Management at Ipreo. Weldon ‘s more than 25-year career includes extensive background in IT, quality management, business development, program/project management, and senior leadership added to expert level achievements in the disciplines of incident/crisis management, business continuity management (BC/DR), physical/information security management, and operational risk/resiliency management. While at AT&T, Weldon developed and managed the largest BC/DR program in the world including recovery operations for AT&T’s global Network and internal business and IT operations. Weldon holds the FBCI (Fellow) certification from the Business Continuity Institute (BCI), has been awarded a U.S. Patent in remote electronic vaulting, holds the Business Resilience Auditor and Business Resilience Manager certifications from the Business Resilience Certification Consortium International (BRCCI), and has also been elected to the CPM (Contingency Planning and Management) Hall of Fame in 2010.
JODIE WRIGHT
Jodie is a Manager with KPMG LLP’s Northeast Cyber practice in Stamford. She has eight years of global cross-industry experience conducting Functional Testing, Single Points of Failure Analysis, Business Process and Application Interdependency Mapping, Governance, Risk and Compliance, and Business Continuity Management engagements. When she is not working or traveling you can find her reading, kickboxing, or volunteering at local organizations.
