Deb Hileman is President and CEO of the Institute for Crisis Management (ICM), a boutique firm specializing in crisis management and communications planning, training and consulting. Founded in 1990, ICM was one of the first consulting firms to focus solely on crisis management. ICM provides expertise and support to companies, non-profit organizations, government agencies, trade associations, colleges, universities and other organizations in North America and across the globe.
A business leader with 30 years’ experience in public and private companies and non-profit organizations, Deb has led high-performing communications teams in health care, manufacturing, insurance and financial services and higher education, among others. Her most significant areas of expertise include reputation/crisis management, change management and employee engagement, strategic communications planning and media training. She is a FEMA-trained Incident Commander with experience as a national EMS public information officer during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (2005), Dean (2007), Ike and Gustav (2008).
Known as a sea of calm in the midst of chaos, Deb has earned a reputation as a trusted strategist and advisor to C-suite executives, operations and other organizational stakeholders. She has successfully managed communications for business issues including natural disasters, labor strikes, criminal prosecutions and federal civil investigations, workplace violence, executive malfeasance, investor litigation, wrongful death and patient abuse investigations, mergers, acquisitions and corporate bankruptcies, among others. Deb is a longtime member of IABC, where she previously served as a chapter president and regional director-at-large. She is also a member of PRSA, and works with several business organizations and non-profits.