Wednesday, October 14 at 5:30pm-7pm
Crisis Communications
Valuable lessons for all communicators
Join AWC-SB for our first meeting of the season, kicking off with a timely discussion about communicating during a crisis. Accomplished women leaders in crisis and emergency communications will take us behind the scenes, share their stories, and provide helpful insights learned through navigating different kinds of crises. How do you communicate to the public responsibly when information is changing quickly? Fire, weather-related disasters, and other emergencies call for trustworthy sources of information and timely, organized messaging through multiple channels. The panelists will engage with the audience, sharing relatable experiences and valuable lessons that will benefit all communications professionals.
Panelists:
Kelly Hubbard, Emergency Management and Crisis Communications Leader
Jackie Ruiz, Emergency Preparedness Communications & Outreach Coordinator, Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management
Camie Barnwell, Director of Communications & Public Information Officer, Santa Barbara County Education Office
Liliana Encinas, Bilingual (English/Spanish) Public Outreach Coordinator and Public Information Officer for the Santa Barbara City Fire Department
Wed., Oct. 14, 5:30pm
Workzones, Paseo Nuevo
Members free, Guests $25
About our Panelists:
Kelly Hubbard
Kelly Hubbard is a local Emergency Management and Crisis Communications Leader, and the former Director of the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management (OEM). Ms. Hubbard works with government agencies of all disciplines to increase multi-agency, all-sector preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery coordination. Kelly has responded to local, state and federally declared disasters across California including tsunamis, earthquakes, fires, winter storms, and dozens more undeclared events. She has served in many emergency operation center roles, including water/wastewater utility liaison, governmental liaison, public information officer, and EOC deputy director. In each of these roles, Kelly has had responsibility for providing critical information to the media, elected officials, and the community. Kelly is a national speaker on mass casualty response and planning for both government and the entertainment/arts industry. She currently serves on the USGS National Landslide Hazards Reduction Program Advisory Committee on Landslides and the National Coalition for Arts Preparedness Committee. Ms. Hubbard has a Master of Science in Emergency Services Administration from California State University, Long Beach and is a Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) through the International Association of Emergency Management (IAEM).
Jackie Ruiz
Jackie Ruiz is the Emergency Preparedness Communications & Outreach Coordinator at the County of Santa Barbara, a role she has held for over 3.5 years. She serves as the public information officer for the County Office of Emergency Management and supports communication and outreach in the County Executive Office. Jackie holds a bachelor’s degree in political science with minors in biology and public health from Santa Clara University, as well as a master’s in public health from Claremont Graduate University. She began her County career in 2016 in the Public Health Department, where she became the PIO, including the Lead Public Information Officer during the COVID-19 response. Although she started her current role in 2023, Jackie has been active in local disasters since the 2017 Whittier Fire, contributing to bilingual (English/Spanish) emergency communications across multiple major incidents.
Camie Barnwell
Camie Barnwell is an award-winning journalist and bilingual communications professional with bachelor’s degrees in journalism and Spanish and a master’s degree and credential in educational counseling. Since 2022, she has served as Communications Director and Public Information Officer for the Santa Barbara County Education Office, supporting 200 programs, 129 schools, and 70,000 students countywide. During the height of the pandemic, she led communications for Santa Barbara Unified, following a career covering education, government, disasters, and community life for the Santa Barbara News-Press. She developed a bilingual crisis communications toolkit and training series for school emergencies that recently earned top statewide honors.
Liliana Encinas
Liliana Encinas serves as the Bilingual (English/Spanish) Public Outreach Coordinator and Public Information Officer for the Santa Barbara City Fire Department. Liliana is accredited as a State-certified Spanish/English interpreter and translator and brings expertise as a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Master Trainer in both English and Spanish, an Emergency Management Outreach Instructor for the California Specialized Training Institute and a Program Advisor to the Fire Service Training Institute.
With a career spanning over twenty years, Ms. Encinas’ professional journey includes pivotal leadership roles such as Director of the Family Resource Center at La Casa de La Raza Cesar E. Chavez Center, as well as the Aware & Prepare Latino Initiatives and Outreach Coordinator for the County of Santa Barbara Office of Emergency Management and the National Director of the LISTOS program for over fifteen years.
Mrs. Encinas prioritizes enhancing emergency public education and disseminating vital information, fostering strong connections with the Latino community. Her immigration from Mexico to the United States enriches her dedication to serving diverse populations through outreach, social welfare, programmatic advancements, and holistic well-being promotion. Her strategic planning involvement underscores commitment to tailored services for the Latino constituency, ensuring inclusive and effective community support.
Mrs. Encinas is a devoted mother of four, who cherishes her time spent with her family and actively engages in volunteerism across various community-based organizations and educational institutions.