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What Hurricane Helene Taught Us about Crisis Communications
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About this event
In late September, Hurricane Helene stalled over the Appalachia Mountains as a tropical storm. This resulted in substantial and widespread historic flooding, loss of life, and severe damage to communities and infrastructure, impacting roads, water supplies, and electricity. During the initial crisis, it was “all hands-on deck.” Scott Brooks and Travis Brickey of the Tennessee Valley Authority and Mark Nagi of the Tennessee Department of Transportation spent long hours delivering important information critical to keeping the public informed and safe. These esteemed communicators with almost 100 years combined experience will join us to discuss their experiences during Hurricane Helene, including what worked, what didn’t, and what they would change.
Light refreshments will be served.
Scott Brooks is a Senior Media Relations Specialist for the Tennessee Valley Authority in Knoxville, Tennessee. He’s been with TVA for 15 years, during which he’s served as the communications lead for high-profile projects including the completion of the Watts Bar 2 nuclear unit and the Kingston Recovery Project, an environmental cleanup of coal ash at TVA’s Kingston Fossil Plant.
Prior to TVA, Brooks worked at Moxley Carmichael, a public relations firm in Knoxville, and as a freelance writer for the Knoxville News Sentinel and Knoxville Journal. He spent 15 years as a broadcast journalist in markets around the country in both television and radio.
He’s the immediate past president of the PRSA Volunteer Chapter in Knoxville and is a past Ethics Officer and Assembly Delegate for the chapter.
Brooks has a bachelor’s degree in Broadcast News from West Virginia University and is a native West Virginian. He lives in Knoxville with his wife and has three adult children.
Dynamic communications and public relations expert Travis Brickey brings over 30 years of experience in corporate, government, and media sectors. Over the past 9 years, he has spearheaded the transformation of Tennessee Valley Authority's social media program into an industry leader, following six successful years as a TVA public relations specialist.
Expertise includes social media management, strategic communications, crafting impactful paid and organic campaigns, excelling in metrics-driven reporting, talent development, and leveraging news judgment to deliver high-profile initiatives that elevate TVA's mission, brand, and reputation. TVA's social media team is recognized as an industry leader in content creation and campaign implementation, which generates industry-leading engagement.
Mark Nagi is responsible for TDOT’s communications with the public and media for 24 East Tennessee counties. He has worked at TDOT for over 13 years. Before joining TDOT, Mark worked as a sportscaster for over 15 years in Watertown, NY and Myrtle Beach, SC, with the final 10 years spent at WATE-TV in Knoxville. Mark has a B.A. in Communications from SUNY Geneseo and an M.S. in Broadcasting from UT-Knoxville. Mark is the proud father of daughters Lillian and Emily, as well as his dog Bailey.
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