On the first really nice day of the year, most people stop thinking about winter. If you’ve worked in government or public affairs, you don’t. Getting to the point where you no longer have to manage public response to a snowstorm still feels like a relief. When I led communications for Pennsylvania and Governor Wolf, snowstorms were one of the most consistent and challenging crisis communications scenarios we faced. Crisis Communications Planning Matters. But It’s Not Enough. PennDOT leaders...

"Is this actually a crisis?" Effective crisis communications planning starts with this simple question. And your organization's crisis might look very different from another's. For some organizations, a crisis means imminent danger, or even a loss of life. For others, it might mean a downturn in customers. A few days in the social media ringer. Internal employee backlash. I've seen the paralysis and consequences of not understanding what constitutes a crisis for an organization. A post starts...

We spent yesterday in Harrisburg with   PA Literacy Coalition   for their 2026 PA Literacy Summit & Day of Action.   The PA Literacy Coalition ran a great Harrisburg advocacy day. They kept a packed day moving, juggling meetings, speaking, and planning with enthusiasm.   Advocacy and Outreach to Legislators in Harrisburg The day brought together advocates, legislators, educators, storytellers, and folks from across PA and the country who are genuinely excited about improving literacy in the...