Ron Edmond, Ed.D.
Crisis Communication Subject Matter Expert
Years of Experience in
Crisis Communication
Agencies Partnered With
Year Joined
SummitET
Why I work at SummitET
SummitET provides an opportunity to share knowledge, gain new skills, insights, and perspectives and work with industry-leading professionals in the emergency response arena.
The best advice I’ve ever received
Strive to be where you want to be, not where you are.
Three things you may not know about me
I mentor high school and college students as well as adults seeking guidance for life-stabling and career-changing opportunities.
I serve as liaison to the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation as the administrator for my high school graduating class scholarship program enabling at-risk students to achieve post-high school education opportunities.
International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference, Orlando Fl 2019, Marci Gonzalez, ABC Reporter/Keynote Speaker
Rutgers Leadership Academy TTX, Rutgers University 2020 with Rutgers EM Staff and Dr. Ralph Gioliotti
Conference of Radiation Control Directors National Conference, Alaska 2019 Ruth McBurney, President
Education
LINCOLN MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY
Ed.D., Executive Leadership
LINCOLN MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY
Ed.S., Educational Leadership
VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
M.Ed., Human Resource Development
EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
B.S., Mass Communication and Speech
Affiliations
- Secretary, East Tennessee State University (ETSU) Alumni Association, Knox County, TN
- ETSU Roan Scholars Interview Committee
- Volunteer Consultant, Homeland Defense & Security Information Analysis Center (HDIAC) Crisis Communication SME
- Sigma Nu Fraternity Alumni Advisory Council
Contributions
About Ron
Ron Edmond, Ed.D., serves as the Crisis Communication Subject Matter expert, Media Coordinator, and Public Information Officer for SummitET. Additionally, he serves as a faculty member for the internationally renowned Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site (REAC/TS) where he lectures on crisis communication during a radiological event.
Formerly, Ron was the Acting Technical Director with Oak Ridge Associated Universities’ (ORAU) Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education National Security Program (ORISE-NSP). For more than 25 years, he supported crisis and risk communication efforts for Departments of Energy (DOE), Homeland Security (DHS), Health and Human Services (DHHS), Defense (DOD), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). He designed and taught the first-ever environmental communication training for DOD.
Ron was a featured speaker for organizations such as The World Nuclear University Alumni Summit, University of Tennessee-Howard Baker Public Policy Center’s Institute for Nuclear Security, Department of Energy’s National Stakeholders Transportation Forum, the commercial nuclear industry, Tennessee, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agencies, and local, state, and tribal authorities. He also taught crisis communication at Lee University.
Ron managed the research, development, testing, training, and implementation of first responder software applications for DHS, DOE, and Veteran Healthcare Administration (VHA). He designed, developed, and conducted nationwide training courses on crisis risk communication issues, transportation of radioactive waste materials, emergency preparedness training for schools/educators, and health-related disease and illness.
Ron works to strengthen organizations’ crisis communication planning and emergency preparedness efforts for communicable, preventable, and occupational illnesses and diseases, technological hazard events such as chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear mishaps. He specializes in low-trust, high-concern communication issues encountered in occupational health, transportation of radioactive waste, chemical weapons, influenza pandemic, and environmental issues. He also employs his communication skills to train and facilitate meetings, workshops, and roundtables.
Ron is the former president of the Clinton City and Anderson County Education Foundation and served on the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
Get In Touch
Publications
Edmond, R. G., Hardin, H.J., 2016 Gatlinburg Wildfires Risks and Crisis Communications Lessons Learned: Future Practices Implementations, March 2017 (Manuscript submitted for publication).
Edmond, R. G., Obtaining Communication Success during an Emergency, American Nuclear Society, August 2011.
Edmond, R. G., The Role of Communication during an Emergency: Why Communication is Different, American Nuclear Society, August 2011.
Edmond, R. G., The Resource Guide for Law Enforcement Public Information Officers, Chapter 2, Emergency Public Information, International Association Chief of Police, June 2005.
Edmond, R. G., Spokesperson for the First Responder, U.S. Department of Energy, June 2004 (Unpublished).
Edmond, R. G., Spokesperson for Technical Advisors, Environmental Risk Communication, U.S. Department of Energy, June 2004 (Unpublished).
Edmond, R. G., Emergency Public Information: The Role of the Spokesperson during a Crisis, U.S. Department of Energy, June 2004 (Unpublished).
Edmond, R. G., Telephone Team and Media Monitoring, U.S. Department of Energy, June 2004 (Unpublished).
Edmond, R. G., Emergency Public Information Pocket Guide, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Emergency Management, May 2002 (Unpublished).
Edmond, R.G. and Murawski, L., School Emergency Management Model Plan and Procedures, Office of School Safety and Learning Support, Tennessee Department of Education, August 1999 (Unpublished).
Edmond, R. G., Balcombe, M. and Murawski, L., Northeast Utilities Public