On Feb. 16, an unconfirmed report of a gunman inside UB’s Lockwood Library set in motion the university’s emergency communications plan. Although no gunman was found, the five-hour drama provided a high-stakes test of UB’s crisis-communication procedures amid intensive media coverage, ambiguity about the threat, rumor-fueled social media chattering and public scrutiny of the university’s actions.   

Join us on Sept. 23 and get a first-hand account of how UB communicators responded to the crisis, what lessons were learned and how your organization can better prepare for an emergency.

Joseph A. Brennan's bio:
Joseph A. Brennan, Ph. D, APR, is the associate vice president for university communications at the University at Buffalo. Brennan has 20 years of communications and management experience in higher education. Before joining UB in February 2008 he had served as the executive director of communications and marketing at Ohio University. Before that, he was the senior communications officer at University of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif., as its executive director of marketing and university relations. He previously was executive director of public relations and marketing at The University of Toledo in Ohio and public relations director at Delgado Community College in New Orleans.

From 1992-95, he was manager of public communications and research support services at UB's Research Institute on Addictions. Prior to that, he served as coordinator of conferences and lifelong learning at Niagara University and was dean of evening and continuing education at Bryant & Stratton Business Institute.

Brennan has worked as a consultant in the field of public relations and has taught at UB, Buffalo State College, Niagara University, Medaille College, Tulane University and University of the Pacific. He is active in PRSA at the national level, as a member of the executive committee of the Counselors to Higher Education section. His work has won recognition from organizations including the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, PRSA and the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations.

Brennan is a graduate of Wayne State University. He earned a doctorate and master's degree, both in English, from UB in 1996 and 1988, respectively, and an MBA in 2007 from University of the Pacific.