The Employee Safety Podcast

In a time of “permacrisis,” the complexity of navigating modern threats, from climate change to misinformation campaigns, highlights the necessity of building strong partnerships cross-functionally. In this episode, Mary Hackman, Senior Director of Global Intelligence at Visa, shares best practices in global security and intelligence from her two decades of experience in both the public and privat...

The 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris begin July 26, and ensuring safety for athletes and visitors at the world’s largest multi-sport event is no small feat. Today’s guest, Scott Kim, is the Director of the Office of Protection at the Diplomatic Security Service, the agency that helps protect Team U.S.A. during the Olympic Games. Listen in to learn:  The unique challenges of securing the Oly...

Artificial Intelligence is here—and it’s here to stay. But when it comes to safeguarding employees, do the benefits of AI outweigh the risks? Guest host Sara Pratley sits down with Dean Baratta, Group Regional Security Manager at Microsoft, to discuss how AI and large language models can impact the intelligence and security functions at organizations today. Listen as Dean shares his advice on: How...

Bob Smith has more than twenty years of experience in emergency management and communication roles in both the public and private sectors. He currently serves as Director of Service Assurance and Compliance at GCI Communication Corporation , the largest telecommunications carrier for the state of Alaska  Working on large-scale events, including the Olympics, the World Cup, and the Super Bowl,...

On January 2, 2023, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field during a road game in Cincinnati.   The Bills’ Associate Head Athletic Trainer Denny Kellington quickly determined that Hamlin was experiencing cardiac arrest and worked with an expert team of medical professionals to perform CPR and restore Hamlin’s heartbeat. Hamlin has since made a full recovery.  &...

Hurricane season officially begins June 1, and Colorado State University has predicted a historically active season for 2024 .   Patrick Forand is a certified incident commander and FEMA instructor and was a contract manager at the Florida Department of Health for more than 16 years. He currently leads emergency management, disaster planning, and response for CAN Community Health . ...

In today's intensifying threat landscape, organizations must go beyond a check-the-box approach to achieve positive safety outcomes.   For Andrew Dingee , pilot, safety expert, and author of Delivering the Right Stuff , an effective safety culture is achieved through a systems approach—that catches human error while preventing blame. In this episode, Andrew shares how to:  Optimize check...

April is Workplace Violence Prevention Month , an important reminder for organizations to pause and analyze their readiness for workplace violence prevention and response.  Bryan Strawser is an expert in helping organizations uplevel their workplace violence prevention programs and adapt to stay resilient in the future. His consultancy, Bryghtpath , helps companies improve their corporate sec...

Tornadoes can damage or destroy anything in their path in seconds, leaving lasting impacts. With climate change driving tornado outbreaks year-round, organizations must continually review and update their preparedness and recovery plans.  Warning Coordination Meteorologist Jennifer Dunn and her team at the National Weather Service combine forces with storm spotters and on-the-ground reporting...

Throughout his 30+ year career, Bart Brown has led teams of hundreds, securing both the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and critical national infrastructure.  In his current role as Vice President and Chief Security Officer at Frontier Communications , the keys to creating an effective security organization are adaptability, scalability, and automation.  Listen in to learn:   Which pro...

In the two years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, global supply chain disruptions, ballooning inflation, and unpredictable risks to employee safety have left organizations scrambling to adapt.  Today, as several global conflicts rage on with no end in sight, a new era of misinformation challenges resilience leaders to rise to a new level of vigilance—one that requires human-gathered and hu...

There's nothing like an NFL game day. With 50,000+ people pouring into FedExField, the Washington Commanders rely on the elite coordination and collaboration of Director of Security & Transportation, Matthew Van Norton , to keep fans and staff safe.  By partnering with vendors, federal, state, and local officials, and the league itself, Matthew and his team ensure a secure and memorable e...

As a remote-first organization with cloud-based headquarters, Zillow maintains its resilience with a 24/7 approach to business continuity and crisis management. Business Resiliency Manager Ryan Williams and his team of two rely on modern tools and technology to ensure any incident – from an app outage to an active threat – gets an immediate and effective response.   Listen in to learn:&n...

From natural disasters to the advancement of AI, 2023 saw various disruptive events that impacted business leaders' approach to employee safety, security, and business continuity. As we move further into 2024, trendlines indicate that the global threat landscape will continue to intensify.  Sara Pratley , Senior Vice President of Global Intelligence at AlertMedia , joins the show to help us u...

Many companies view their corporate security function as a cost center—and miss out on the untapped potential of a robust security culture. In this episode, Wendy Bashnan , Director of Security and Fire Protection at Scout Motors , unpacks insights from her 30-year career—from government security at the U.S. Department of State, NATO, and the Diplomatic Security Service to the private sector as Ch...

John Liuzzi built the business continuity program for Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits from the ground up.   As the world’s largest wine and spirits distributor, Southern Glazer’s complex global supply chain makes managing situational intelligence 24/7 an impressive feat. In this episode, John unpacks the keys to a successful business continuity program, including how to:  Becom...

Large-scale events raise unique safety concerns for organizers and attendees alike.  With event emergencies and attacks on the rise globally, organizations should prepare their employees to respond to any large-scale event disruption, from power outages and crowd surges to active shooter threats and natural disasters.  Nick Dawe is the Division Chief and Fire Marshal for Cobb County Fire...

At Stratolaunch —the company that built the world’s longest aircraft—emergency planning is unique.   From coordinating public safety officials to readying rescue operations, the experimental aviation company relies on an emergency response expert with experience at every altitude. Linna Selbrede is the Emergency Response Program Lead with over a decade of experience in search and rescue...

With 694 fatalities and $112 billion in losses reported in 2022, retail crime is at an all-time high. And as Black Friday and the holiday shopping season approach, retailers are looking for solutions to ensure a safe and smooth atmosphere for shoppers and employees alike.  Khristopher Hamlin is the Vice President of Asset Protection at the Retail Industry Leaders Association. In this episode,...

In the healthcare industry, resiliency is more than ensuring continuity of operations—it’s about protecting the continuity of patient care around the clock.   Jonathan Arnburg is the System Senior Director of Public Safety and Emergency Management at Inova, Northern Virginia’s leading nonprofit healthcare provider. Jon joined the show to discuss how he’s navigating the biggest threats to...

Safety and security training can feel tedious and dull—but it doesn’t have to be. When organizations prioritize onboarding, training, and development, the entire business and workforce builds resiliency.  For Adam Corn , Director of Safety & Security and Training & Development at GoFundMe, the key to a successful training program is making it fun, thought-provoking, and adaptable to d...

Resilient organizations can weather any crisis and come back stronger. But in today’s intensifying threat landscape, business resiliency requires going above and beyond standard drills and emergency planning.   Dr. Steve Goldman , Director of Advanced Business Resiliency at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) discusses lessons learned from over 30 years of experience in crisi...

Today, more than 77% of companies are using or exploring the use of AI . With mountains of big data to sift through, organizational security and intelligence professionals are turning to automated solutions to speed up their information gathering and decision-making.  AlertMedia’s SVP of Global Intelligence, Sara Pratley , sat down with two intelligence experts to understand the opportunities...

For the Texas Rangers Baseball Club , a safe and secure season requires careful planning and coordination of 200+ employees, vendors, contractors, and public safety officials.  Donald Paisant is the Senior Director of Event Security & Special Projects for the Texas Rangers. Donald has decades of high-profile sports security experience, from protecting Super Bowl stadiums to NCAA Final Fou...

Business resilience is essential for major financial institutions responsible for managing customer funds.  In an emergency, finance companies must protect their employees and facilities while ensuring their customers’ cash is always accessible.   Jeff Dow is Manager of Protection and Resiliency at a major financial organization, after serving as a commanding officer in the U.S. Coa...