LearnEM | Napier Emergency Consulting

A virtual lecture series that offers monthly educational opportunities with top emergency management practitioners across North America. Tune in from the comfort of your own home while you listen, learn, and interact with our expert presenters.

UPCOMING SESSIONS

JANUARY 14, 2025 | 6-8pm (CT)

No Silos in a Storm: Building Cross-Sector Trust

In a disaster, relationships matter just as much as resources. Yet too often, emergency response efforts are slowed or derailed by silos—between agencies, sectors, or systems. “No Silos in a Storm” explores how trust is the most powerful—and often most overlooked—tool in our emergency management toolbox. Whether you’re responding to a wildfire, preparing for a public health emergency, or coordinating evacuation supports, no one organization can do it alone. This session offers insight, inspiration, and tools to build the kind of trust that saves time, protects people, and improves outcomes—before, during, and after the storm.

Heather Crozier

Heather Crozier brings over a decade of frontline and emergency management experience to the conversation on building trust across sectors. A former member of the fire service, Heather responded to everything from structure fires to large-scale community evacuations, working shoulder-to-shoulder with mutual aid departments, the RCMP, and BC Emergency Health Services. Her leadership extended beyond the front lines—serving as a Resiliency Centre Manager during mass evacuations, and as Deputy Director of Emergency Support Services, where she supported displaced residents, including Lytton Wildfire evacuees who were forced to evacuate a second time during the 2021 Atmospheric River in Merritt.

FEBRUARY 12, 2026 | 6-8pm (CT)

The People Equation

Emergency management, at its heart, is all about people. While structures and systems are important for planning, response, and recovery, they can often conflict with the needs of those who are most affected by emergencies and disasters. How we manage these situations is often dictated by budgetary constraints, a focus on processes, and the decisions made by leaders who are often disconnected from the reality of the front lines. As emergency managers, we have a unique role to play in ensuring that our communities, organizations, and businesses utilize approaches that put people first. Let’s talk about how we can do that!

Sharon Bak, BA, RSSW

For nearly thirty years, Sharon has been an emergency responder, starting as a volunteer with the Pass Lake Volunteer Fire Protection Team & then moving on to the Canadian Red Cross. She has been employed as a Field Officer for Emergency Management Ontario and supported multiple municipalities, unincorporated areas, and First Nations communities with various emergencies and evacuations. Her passion is to put people first in all aspects of emergency planning as well as focus on the needs of those left most vulnerable due to a disaster.

Register for Upcoming Sessions

Reserve your spot for a single session or the whole series using the form below.

A Zoom link will be emailed to you 3 days before the lecture.
Cost: $50 + GST per lecture.
Following the lecture, you will receive an invoice by email with payment details.

Past Speakers

Frank DeAngelis: Leadership Lessons from Columbine and Beyond

Frank DeAngelis, retired principal of Columbine High School, served as an educator for the Jeffco School District in Littleton Colorado, since 1979. A national-level speaker, Frank has addressed numerous professional and school audiences on the topic of recovery after a school-based tragedy. Frank received numerous awards and recognitions throughout his lifetime of service as an educator.

Bonnie Lewin: Reception Centre Responsibilities & Impact on Helpers

Bonnie has worked with The City of Calgary for 31 years in a variety of roles. CEMA provided her the opportunity to create a municipal ESS program and obtain an Associate Business Continuity Professional designation from the Disaster Recovery Institute. Bonnie was the Chair of the Emergency Social Services Network of Alberta and is the co-founder of the Social Work and Disaster Network.

Perron S. Goodyear, MA(DEM)

For 20+ years, Perron has been engaged in disaster and emergency management, with experience in public and private sectors as well as NGOs. In addition to founding Goodyear Emergency Management Consulting, Perron is a sessional instructor in the School of Public Safety, Emergency Management Division at the Justice Institute of British Columbia, and a Senior Policy Advisor at Public Safety Canada.

Jay Shaw

Jay Shaw is the Deputy Chief of Safety, Emergency Management and Public Information with the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service. Shaw was responsible for developing the city’s Office of Emergency Management in 2017 and has led the City of Winnipeg through several major disasters and emergencies including the global COVID-19 pandemic. Jay is a graduate of Harvard University’s National Preparedness Leadership Initiative studying Crisis Leadership.

John Robertson

Discover how authentic leaders navigate crises, build trust, engage teams, and foster resilience to inspire others amid challenges. When the foundation is set, even critics cannot dispute the credibility, it’s the type of authority that position and title cannot provide. Based on his second bestseller book, this session defines the leadership character that can lead your team follow through the challenging times, building trust, and respect with one another and with those outside the community or organization.

Dr. Jeff Donaldson

Dr. Jeff Donaldson is the CEO of Preparedness Labs Inc, a Canadian risk, resilience & preparedness research and education firm. He is an associate faculty member in the Disaster and Emergency Management program at Royal Roads University, and a 28 year Canadian Army veteran. He is the voice of Canada’s premier podcast in the field, Inside My Canoehead, and has authored two books on risk and preparedness.

Suzanne Bernier

A former journalist and government press secretary, Suzanne is now an international, multi-certified, award-winning crisis management trainer, speaker, and author, who has helped governments, communities and companies plan for, respond to, and recover from disasters for nearly 30 years. She is currently the Vice President of the Resilience Information Exchange (RIE) - Toronto Chapter and is a current faculty member of both DRI International and DRI Canada.

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