Changing the Game: Crisis Communications in a Complex World

Veleisa Patton Burrell is a trusted counselor to clients and peers alike, providing strategic guidance on integrated communications, including media relations, content development, digital communication and executive visibility. Her talents lie in detailing company values through owned storytelling consistently across mediums to earn media coverage and improve reputation with employees, partners, and clients and industry peers. In her role as Senior Director of Public Relations and Crisis at Denny’s Brand, Veleisa is responsible for corporate and brand communications as well as crisis, internal, CSR and DEI communications. Prior to joining Denny’s, Veleisa worked in the Texas office of FleishmanHillard for three years. She also previously owned and operated a marketing communications firm, Narrative Evolution. Veleisa graduated from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, with a bachelor’s degree in corporate communications and public affairs. She later earned a master’s degree in communication studies from the University of Texas at Arlington. Side work as a mindfulness facilitator and yoga instructor keeps her mind and body strong and resilient. Veleisa’s volunteer work includes launching the Dallas chapter of ColorComm, a professional network for women of color in communications, and serving as the inaugural executive director. She was named to Public Relations Society of America Dallas inaugural 40 Under 40 list in 2021 and was previously a board director for the chapter.

Kelly Williamson is president of APCO Worldwide’s North America region. As the youngest female member on APCO’s Global Leadership Team, she is accustomed to exploring new territory and capturing opportunities. She’s a strategic advisor and an entrepreneur at-heart. From the founding of APCO’s Raleigh presence and helping grow it into a flourishing business; to regularly galvanizing new and creative ideas from around the world; or simply challenging herself, her clients and her managers to think bigger and act more boldly, Kelly is a force of nature who consistently challenges the status quo. Her dedication to improving the firm’s culture and infrastructure of APCO is laudable. After beginning her APCO career as an intern in 1999, Kelly now helps global companies transform their business and be prepared for what’s next. Kelly’s tenure features career highlights across diverse industry sectors and regions. She created APCO’s Accelerate What’s Right program that addresses systemic racism and builds inclusive cultures for APCO teams, clients and community. She’s a specialist in issues and corporate reputation, particularly for regulated industries. She built and initially lead APCO’s key client initiative that trains colleagues globally on how to provide exceptional client service. In recent years, Kelly was honored several times for her significant career accomplishments. She won a 2022 Top Women in Communications Award in the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Champion category; was named a Champion in the 2018 PRWeek Hall of Femme; and was named a 2018 Top Women in PR by PR News. Kelly is on the board of advisors at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in the Media and Journalism School and prior to joining APCO she served as a financial management consultant for the Principal Financial Group. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in communication with a concentration in public relations and business from James Madison University.

REI is a member of Ragan’s Communications Leadership Council. Halley Knigge serves as director of communications for REI Co-op, leading the teams responsible for showcasing the co-op’s impact work, highlighting its passionate employees and helping current and future members see themselves as part of the co-op–and outdoor–community. Prior to REI, she spent four years as a spokesperson for Alaska Airlines, where she also designed and launched the airline’s first company blog. At Alaska, she helped explain an airline merger, helped inspire adventures near and far, and sometimes ghost-wrote tweets for a certain Seattle quarterback. She’s also dabbled in healthcare, nonprofits, education and daily newspapers. She grew up on Mr. Rogers, so her no. 1 core value is to always be a helper.