Joe Klinker
Crisis Management Consultant and Trainer | Former U.S. Coast Guard Lieutenant Commander
Public information crisis management training for government PIOs and high-risk operators.
I spent 12 years in the U.S. Coast Guard on the hardest days people have. I started on overnight watches in Miami command centers. Then I moved to the podium. My job was to help the public understand what was happening while it was still happening: Deepwater Horizon, Hurricane Sandy, the Boston Marathon bombings and the 2014 Ebola response.
Since 2015 I've helped organizations get ready before something goes wrong. I write crisis plans, playbooks and response templates. I train the people who will be in the middle of it. I've also taught crisis communications at the University of North Carolina and Boston University.
I help private industry understand how the government side of a crisis operates. My mindset: (1) Build relationships with your partners. (2) Know the facts. (3) Tell the truth well.
Crisis Management Consultant and Trainer, CommPrep™
Crisis plans, playbooks and training for first responder, government and nonprofit groups.
National Director of Media Relations, U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters
Media relations for the whole service, including social media. Led the media side of the 2014 Ebola response. Helped write the Coast Guard Public Affairs Manual.
Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Coast Guard First District
Public affairs for the Northeast, including social media. Lead public information officer for Hurricane Sandy. Part of the Boston Marathon bombings joint information center.
Press Aide to Admiral Thad Allen, National Incident Commander
Ran his press briefings alongside the White House and DHS.
Command Center Duty Officer and Spokesperson, U.S. Coast Guard
More than 1,500 search and rescue cases. Sector spokesperson through 14 hurricanes.