Greg has spent over 40 years in the hospitality and cruise line industries. In his most recent position as the Director of Family Assistance and Support Services for Holland America Group, Greg developed and oversaw the family assistance/care team. During his career, he responded to several large-scale emergencies and mass casualty events.

Bob has over 36 years of experience in the crisis management industry. During his career, he was President of a prestigious critical response network company, helping lead it from a startup to the world’s largest provider of Critical Incident Response services to the workplace. He’s active as a keynote speaker and has published in journals on workplace response to tragedy.

Ken has over 27 years in the aviation industry, spending the last 8 as a consultant. He has authored books and hosts a podcast show, “The Black Box.” He has responded to emergencies ranging from the 9/11 terrorist attacks to severe turbulence encounters. Ken has personally assisted air crash survivors and victims’ family members, directed large corporate response teams, led multiple Go-Team deployments, set up and led both headquarters-based and on-site command centers, and coordinated with call centers answering inquiries through a publicized toll-free number.

Jennifer joined Empathia in 2024 as the Director of Crisis Solutions, bringing over 25 years of experience in crisis response, mental health advocacy, and family assistance. A family member of an aviation disaster victim, she blends personal and professional expertise to prioritize the human element in emergency preparedness. She was key in advocating for the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act of 1996. She has since provided education and technical guidance to federal, state, and international organizations on best practices for family assistance.

As a licensed clinical social worker, Jennifer has led 24/7 crisis support programs, managed remote teams, and developed family assistance programs across aviation, healthcare, and emergency management. She holds a Master of Social Work in Community and Organizational Leadership and has completed extensive FEMA training, including certifications in disaster psychology and mass fatality incident management. Jennifer has co-authored pivotal research on aviation disaster response and designed innovative programs supporting thousands in crisis. Her expertise in crisis communication, operational planning, and psychosocial support continues to foster resilience and compassion in communities worldwide.

George Nuñez is an emergency management practitioner with over 20 years of experience in higher education. He is the director of the Office of Emergency Management with the Department of Public Safety at Baylor University. George is a founding member and serves as Past National Chair of the Universities and Colleges Caucus (UCC) with the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM).

Michelle joined Empathia in 2003. As Executive Director, Critical Support Services, Michelle is responsible for ensuring Empathia provides high-quality, high-value support services following critical events that impact people and organizations. In addition, her focus is on strategy development, providing operational oversight and collaborating with teams throughout the organization to achieve optimal growth. Michelle has over 15 years experience consulting with organizations in response to critical events, assisting with coordinating and facilitating crisis response services following a traumatic event or disaster and working to develop and refine smart technology to support organizations with a crisis response. She has a Master’s in Social Work and is a Certified Employee Assistance Professional (CEAP).

Brian joined Empathia in 2020 and brings over 25 years of proven sales, strategy and leadership experience. As Chief Growth Officer, he is responsible for driving strategic and operational initiatives to accelerate the organization’s growth and innovation. He holds a Masters in Business Administration (MBA).

Rick is a seasoned crisis management and emergency operations expert and the Safety and Security Administrator at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Washington State. Formerly the Director of Crisis Solutions at Empathia, he oversaw emergency response planning for over 2,000 clients across diverse industries.

With a career spanning roles at Alaska AirGroup, Cathay Pacific Airways, and Amazon’s travel risk management team, Rick excels in safety compliance, regulatory auditing, and scalable crisis response strategies. He holds a Master’s Degree in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He is an Assistant Professor, combining academic knowledge with real-world expertise to mentor the next generation of aviation safety professionals. A Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) and award-winning leader, Rick has authored research and developed family assistance programs for transportation sectors, earning recognition for his leadership, teaching, and innovation.

Sharon Bryson currently serves as the Director for the Delaware Office of Highway Safety. Prior to this she served 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 2021 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.

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 seventeen 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