Michelle Erland IWA
Michelle is a Senior Account Supervisor with Colangelo & Partners Public Relations where she splits her time between New York and San Francisco. Michelle is a graduate of the Intensive Sommelier Program at the International Culinary Center (French Culinary Institute) and a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas. In 2017, she became a Vinitaly Italian Wine Ambassador. She holds an MBA with a concentration in food, beverage, and hospitality through Johnson & Wales University. In 2020, Michelle earned her Crisis Communications Certificate through Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management. Michelle’s passion for wine has led her to consult on restaurant training programs, teach wine classes in the US, London and Italy, and act as an associate judge in the International wine competition, 5StarWines – the Book
Communicating in times of Crisis; How prepared is your organization?
Over the years, the wine industry has faced its fair share of crises. From wildfires and fraud scandals to supply chain issues and politics, we may know how these situations can significantly impact business operations, but we may not realize how unprepared our organization is until it’s too late.
When a crisis occurs, decisions need to be made immediately, such as who should we notify? Who will respond if the media reaches out? What should we post on social media platforms? Companies can prepare by evaluating the crisis process, team, tools, and resources they have in place. Effective planning ensures organizations are ready to respond to a crisis promptly and responsibly to mitigate risk and protect their brand. In the uncertainty of today’s world, making crisis communication part of 2023 planning and strategy is more critical than ever.