Kevin Hasler has over two decades of international communication consultancy experience working in his native UK, the Middle East, and Central Europe. He began his career as a newspaper journalist in England and Wales before moving into senior communication consulting roles.

He is widely experienced in delivering senior counsel, media and crisis training, and strategic content development to multinational clients and senior executives in the public and private sectors.

A British national, Kevin has led and managed PR businesses in the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovenia, and Hungary, where he managed the largest PR agency in the country from its Budapest headquarters.

He has delivered media training and crisis management training exercises for major international companies and Government organizations across multiple geographies. He has advised senior executives during major real-time crises, including fatalities and major reputational challenges.

His broad-ranging client experience spans major international tourism projects, the manufacturing industry, pharmaceuticals, defence, technology, healthcare, inward investment bodies, and working on major international events, among many others.

PR Agency experience includes working with Bell Pottinger Good Relations, Hill & Knowlton, Mmd/Grayling, Ketchum, Cohn & Wolfe, and APCO Worldwide.

Now based back in the UK, Kevin is a graduate of Politics and Economics from the University of Bradford and holds professional journalism qualifications.

Paul Sledzik’s expertise combines both mass fatality response and disaster family assistance. He retired in 2021 from the US federal government after 35 years of service. In his last 17 years, he held positions of increasing responsibility at the US National Transportation Safety Board, culminating in three years as the principal deputy managing director. Prior, he directed the NTSB Office of Safety Recommendations and Communications which coordinated the media communications, government affairs, advocacy, and family assistance activities of hundreds of transportation accidents across aviation, marine, rail, highway and pipeline sectors.

From 2010 to 2016, Paul led the NTSB Transportation Disaster Assistance Division which coordinates family assistance for the agency in conjunction with local, state, federal and non-governmental agencies, and transportation operators. From 2012 to 2016, he represented the US in a multiyear effort by the International Civil Aviation Organization to develop policies ensuring the well-being of aviation accident victims and families are fully addressed by ICAO signatory states.

Before working at the NTSB, Paul served for six years as a regional team leader for the US Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team, where he managed a team of 100 forensic scientists and mortuary specialists in mass fatality response. Paul also worked as a forensic scientist for the US military.

Trained as a forensic anthropologist, Paul has advised federal, international and non-governmental agencies on issues of mass fatality response and disaster family assistance. His scientific work, professional publications and advocacy efforts were foundational to current methods in mass fatality response.

Paul holds a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and a master’s degree in biological anthropology. In 2021, he was awarded the Distinguished Presidential Rank Award for federal senior executives in the US civil service. He currently resides in Rhode Island.

Sharon Bryson currently serves as the Senior Administrator for the Delaware Emergency Management Agency providing guidance and support to all aspects of the agency’s communication and community outreach initiatives. She retired from federal service in December 2022 where she served as the Managing Director for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). She joined the NTSB in November 1997 as a victim assistance specialist, later becoming the Chief of the Transportation Disaster Assistance (TDA) program. Sharon was promoted to TDA Director in January 2000 – the same day as the crash of Alaska Air flight 261 off the California coast.

As TDA Director, she responded to or managed the response to more than 140 major transportation accidents. Sharon’s hard work and dedication to assisting victims and their family members helped to transform this program into a highly regarded program within the agency, the transportation community, other federal agencies and beyond. The program’s model has been adopted by local, state and federal disaster response agencies, several nations and the United Nations body of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

In 2010, Sharon was promoted to the Deputy Director of the Office of Communications and then in 2014 became the Director of the Office of Safety Recommendations and Communications. In 2019, she was selected to serve as the first female Managing Director where she oversaw hundreds of accident investigations. In addition, she is credited with managing decisions that kept the agency personnel safe and working during the early phases of the pandemic.

Prior to joining the Safety Board, Sharon served more than 12 years as a civilian with the United States Air Force. She joined the Air Force as a family support specialist and was selected as the Center Director in 1990. In her role as the Director at Dover Air Force Base she was responsible for providing critical support to the Dover Port Mortuary.

While Sharon has had many accomplishments and received numerous awards including the Distinguished Presidential Rank Award, she will be the first to tell you that “the single greatest honor of her career has been building the family assistance program at the NTSB and watching it grow to serve thousands of victims and families impacted by transportation disasters.”

Alison has 33 years’ experience, in the National Health Service, providing the highest standard of bereavement care in both adult and paediatric pathology services. She has contributed to the development of the recently published Scottish Government guidance: Standards for Mortuary Services.

Alison has a specific interest in the mortuary management of fatalities in disasters and until 2020 was the Emergency and Preparedness Lead for the Association of Anatomical Pathology Technology (AAPT). Whilst in this role Alison worked on Home Office projects such as Developing Specification for Emergency/Temporary Mortuaries and Safe handling of Contaminated Fatalities. Alison set up the AAPT DVI Response Team which activated in response to incidents in the UK and she was awarded a Metropolitan Police OCU Commander’s Commendation for her DVI work. She has provided training to key stakeholders in the field of Disaster Management and Victim Identification including facilitating training on Mortuary Management in Iraq.

Her NHS career has been interspersed with several field roles including deployments in Bosnia and Kosovo as part of Forensic Teams formed by the United Nations. She deployed as part of the British Military Operation at RAF Brize Norton managing the repatriation and autopsies of those killed in the conflict in Iraq. She was a first responder to Thailand after the Asian Tsunami, providing support for the victim identification process.

In 2009 Alison was seconded by Oxford Archaeology as part of the Fromelles Project in Northern France to recover & identify (where possible) WW1 soldiers buried in a mass grave and re inter them in individual plots in a newly constructed, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, cemetery. Her role was to advise on mortuary design, set up and then manage the mortuary/anthropology laboratory complex.

In June 2011 Alison was awarded, in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List, an MBE for Services to Anatomical Pathology Technology.

Originally a Montréal native, Roger Girouard began his naval service at HMCS CARLTON in Ottawa as a Naval Reserve Ordinary Seaman Bos’n in 1973, before shifting to the permanent force and taking a commission as a Maritime Surface officer.
Becoming a qualified Destroyer Navigator, he navigated HMCS OTTAWA and participated on her Standing Naval Force Atlantic deployment and then the training destroyer HMCS QU’APPELLE before being assigned to VENTURE, the Naval Officer Training Centre. He completed the Combat Control Officer Course in 1984, then served as Weapons Officer aboard HMCS ALGONQUIN. In July of 1985 he was appointed as Commanding Officer of HMCS CHALEUR.  Promoted to Lieutenant-Commander in January 1986, he undertook command of HMCS MIRAMICHI. Next, he served as Officer Commanding the Maritime Command Detachment in Argentia, Newfoundland, from July 1987 to August 1989, serving with the US Navy doing ocean surveillance.
He was appointed as Executive Officer in HMCS ATHABASKAN in January 1990, participating in OP FRICTION as part of the Gulf War in 1991. He was promoted to Commander and given the opportunity to participate in the international Naval Command College. Upon graduation in 1992, he was assigned to the Personnel Branch of Maritime Command Headquarters, where he served as Senior Staff Officer for Personnel, Plans and Policies.
In July 1994, he was appointed as Commanding Officer of HMCS IROQUOIS, completing her class modernization project trials and transferring the ship to full operational status in First Maritime Operations Group as flagship. Promoted to Captain in June 1996, he was assigned as the Deputy Commander Naval Reserve at the Naval Reserve Headquarters at Pointe-à-Carcy in Québec City.
In August 1998, he was appointed the Assistant Chief of Staff, Plans and Operations, Maritime Forces Atlantic, Halifax. He was the head of operations during the domestic emergency coined as OP PERSISTENCE – the CF element of the SWISSAIR 111 salvage and recovery operation off Peggy’s Cove in 1998, when he was responsible for planning the Canadian Forces element’s efforts, chaired the daily multi-agency coordination meeting and served as liaison to the families of the victims.
He then transferred to the Pacific, as Commander Operations Group Four, and deployed to command Canada’s joint force contribution to OP TOUCAN in East Timor, joining the Australian-led coalition tasked with managing the turmoil in the aftermath to the Timorese vote for independence. Upon return, he was allowed to complete his Master’s at Royal Roads University before being promoted to Commodore and assigned to National Headquarters as Director General Maritime Personnel and Readiness in Ottawa. A year later, he was tasked to take ROTO 4 of Canada’s post-9/11 maritime mission and led the multi-national naval Task Force 151 during OP APOLLO in the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman in 2003.
His last appointment in the navy was as Commander Joint Task Force Pacific and Maritime Forces Pacific in Victoria, where he was responsible for naval readiness in the Pacific, served as the Search and Rescue Commander for the Region and held responsibilities for security and domestic emergency issues in BC, supporting planning for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics and the contingency work for potential flooding of the BC lower mainland in the Spring of 2007.
He retired from the Canadian Forces in September of 2007. He went on to serve as an associate professor at Royal Roads University supporting their Human Security and Peacebuilding Master’s Program. He was sought out to complete the Canadian Coast Guard Inquiry into the tragic sinking of the l’Acadien II, a sealing vessel home ported in the Magdalene Islands. As well, he had several volunteer lives, including the Canadian Defence Association Institute, the Salvation Army, the Coalition to End Homelessness, St. John Ambulance, Victoria Tall Ships and the TELUS Victoria Community Board.
In May of 2013, he assumed responsibilities as the Canadian Coast Guard’s Assistant Commissioner for Western Region, taking on the mandate of effectively delivering marine safety to the country’s dynamic west coast and supporting the roughly one thousand Coast Guard professionals who focus on protecting marine activities in Canada’s waters every day. Experienced in offshore operations, joint and interagency missions, disaster management as well as the realm of HR management, he brought many talents to an organization in transition. Within months, he was serving as the Incident Commander for the USAT ZALINSKI oil recovery effort in Grenville Channel. Over his tenure, he was instrumental in bringing enhanced operational capabilities to the Region, embedding the Incident Command System in its operational model and initiating a reset in the Coast Guard’s many relationships with the Indigenous communities of the coast.
Making a second attempt at retirement in early 2022, he and his wife of forty-five years, Rebecca, live in Sooke, B.C.

Alexander is a Clinical & Crisis Psychologist. He completed his Masters Degree at Odessa National State University, and has his PhD in Sociology. Since 2002 he has been working for different National and International organisations including ITF, ETF, MPHRP, and The Sailors’ Society as a ‘Crisis-at-Sea’ Response Programme Coordinator and Consultant.

Alexander is trained and vastly experienced in organising and providing support for trauma survivors, helping seafarers affected by piracy and other such incidents when they happen at sea. Several programmes Alexander has supported have been very successful, winning awards including the Safety at Sea and Seatrade Maritime Security Awards, presented by Her Royal Highness, Princess Anne, the Princess Royal.

Alexander holds a Maritime Lloyd’s Academy Diploma in Crew Management and he is also a ‘March on Stress’ Associate. He is trained in Trauma Risk Management (TRiM) as a Practitioner / Manager and took courses at the Aaron Beck CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) Institute.

In 2015 Alexander helped to organise and interview Ukrainian piracy survivors to study the framework of the long-term impact of maritime piracy on Seafarers. The international survey was conducted by ‘Ocean Beyond’, and The Piracy/One Earth Future Foundation.

Alexander is also a certified Wellness-at-Sea trainer and has been giving training courses for seafarers, managers and crew manning departments for a number of International shipping companies.

In September 2021 his training programmes for Seafarers were approved by the Nautical Institute (Ukraine Branch) and he was awarded the Honorary Badge for Contribution in Maritime Education at the 20th Anniversary Scientific Conference of the Institute. 

Alexander is a co-author and trainer of the Three Layer Psychosocial Program which is a support system for trauma survivors which has been recognised as the basic training model for non-psychologists in Ukraine. This training course is being given to soldiers who took part in anti-terrorist operations in the East of Ukraine, the National Guard and Navy, Fire Brigades, First Responders and IDPs.

On 24th of February 2022 when the war in Ukraine began, Alexander, being the COO in Mental Health Support Solutions and Chief Consultant for GoCrisis, had to relocate into Europe and started to organize crisis response events for Ukrainian refugees. Since that time he has been working with Seafarers and their families, air pilots, cabin crews and other Ukrainians who have been evacuated into Europe, giving counselling, trainings and humanitarian support.

Patti Carr brings 32 years of aviation experience to GoCrisis. While she held a variety of positions, more than half her tenure was spent in Family Assistance and Emergency Response roles for Northwest and Delta Air Lines. There, Patti developed, designed, and delivered Family Assistance training domestically and internationally to aviation and corporate customers. Additionally, she has extensive experience in planning and executing tabletop exercises and airport drills.

During her time at Northwest, Patti responded to several minor aviation incidents and employee on-the-job deaths, coordinating logistics and working directly with passengers, employees, and their families. Following retirement from Delta, Patti spent eight years leading a team of facilitators for a federal student loan servicing company.

Since 2006, Patti has volunteered at the Armed Forces Service Center at the Minneapolis airport. The center provides support for traveling military, retirees, and dependents. In addition to staffing shifts in the center, and being a board member, Patti is a team lead for the Honors Team. In that role, Patti continues to use her expertise in communication and family assistance to coordinate dignified transfers of military remains with family, the military, and the respective airlines.

Patti holds a B.A. in Communications from Augsburg University, Minneapolis, Minnesota. She is a life-long resident of Minnesota.

Dries has over 55 years of experience in all the facets of the aviation industry. He has held positions as Squadron Commander, Head of Advanced Management Training as well as Head of Aviation Safety of the SA Air Force, Director of Flight Operations, Head of Flight Operations Training, Safety Manager and Emergency Response Planning Manager. He is certified as a Safety Professional with the Institute of Safety Management and is a qualified military pilot, instructor and trainer. Before his retirement Dries was the Executive Manager Aviation Safety and Emergency Response Planning with South African Airways.

His leadership and management expertise includes areas such as Advance Management Training, Strategic Management, Aviation Safety, Flight Operations, Operational Control, Training Management, Quality Assurance, Cargo Handling, Ground Handling, Accident Investigations, Risk Management, Continuous Airworthiness Management (CAMO) and Emergency Response Planning.

Dries assists Companies, Flight Operations Departments, Safety Departments, Airports, Training Organisations and Maintenance Organisations to conduct their business safely and effectively. He assists Companies in preparation for CAA, IOSA, BARS and other related audit standards. He provides legal compliance assistance and guidance to Civil Aviation Authorities, Companies, Operators, Maintenance and Training Organisations. He has developed and successfully implemented several flight operations, aviation safety, occupational health and safety (OHAS), integrated safety risk management systems, cargo handling, CAMO, emergency response plans and formal safety culture, in various Companies.

As a qualified aircraft accident investigator and has conducted several major aircraft accident investigations. He is also a qualified Lead Auditor and has led and conducted a number of operations, quality, aviation safety, OHAS, airports, training, maintenance organisation, emergency response and related aviation audits.

He develops Emergency Response Plans and provide training for scheduled and charter operators. He has directed several emergency response incidents and facilitates tabletop and full functional emergency response exercises.

Dries develops and compiles a variety of required manuals and provides similar training to help Companies to operate and function at world best practices and standards and thereby ensures that their business is effective and safe. To achieve this, he supports Companies to develop and optimize required management, operational and safety management processes and then articulates the associated procedures in the respective manuals. He subscribes to the concept of “Document what you do, and then do what you have documented”.

Vince has over 15 years of aviation experience working in a variety of both operational, safety and emergency management roles, most recently leading the Emergency Response and Humanitarian Assistance Team at United Airlines.

Vince began his aviation career as a helicopter pilot in the U.S. Marine Corps where he was trained as an Aviation Safety Officer. He led an aviation mishap investigation and mishap board following a major accident. He is also a trained Casualty Assistance Calls Officer. 

Following his military service, Vince joined United Airlines where he led United’s Emergency Response Team. During his time at United he responded to several minor aviation incidents and major man-made and natural disasters. Vince deployed United’s Special Assistance Team to Houston, Texas following Hurricane Harvey providing humanitarian assistance to several hundred employees experiencing total loss of property. Immediately upon return he directed United’s EOC in supporting victims of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. As part of the star Alliance Emergency Steering Committee he co-developed a common disaster site plan used by all member airlines. 

Vince graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy where he studied Aeronautical Engineering. He currently resides in the Chicagoland area. 

Steve has 30 years of policing and emergency response experience in the London Metropolitan Police Service, during which he specialised in the multi-agency management of major incidents and as a result Steve spent the last 5 years of his police service seconded to the National Centre for Policing Excellence as Head of the Disaster Management Team. He was an advisor to the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and to the Home Office and Interpol regarding Major Incidents, Disaster Victim Identification (DVI), Mass Fatalities Management and the Humanitarian Aspects of Disaster. Steve was commended numerous times during his police career, including a Metropolitan Police Commissioners’ Commendation for his response to the London Bombings in 2005.

Over the last 15 years, Steve has worked in the commercial sector emergency response environment, including five years with the UK Cabinet Office Emergency Planning College as a Lecturer and Assessor in incident management, counter terrorism, and safety at sports grounds and events. He was also a Safety Officer for the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.

Working in multiple sectors throughout his career, including aviation, transport, and oil & gas industries, Steve has delivered strategic, tactical and operational advice, as well as training to key sector stakeholders. He has responded to incidents in the UK, North Africa, Namibia, France, Russia, and has provided training and participated in exercises in the UK, UAE, Egypt, Qatar, Jordan and Somaliland.

Steve holds a Master of Science Degree, MSc., in Emergency Planning and Disaster Management and is a visiting lecturer in Major Incident and Mass Fatality Management at several UK Universities. He is a former Fellow of the Institute of Civil Protection and Emergency Management (FICPEM), and is a Member of the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (TechIOSH), the Security Institute (MSyI), and an Associate Member of the UK Emergency Planning Society (AEPS)