Facilitator Bios

Mark Basnight

Vice President of Communications and Marketing
SummitET

Mark Basnight manages strategic communication planning, training and exercise efforts to assist customers in being prepared for effective communication to internal and external stakeholders before, during and while recovering from emergencies, natural disasters, intelligent adversary incidents, national special security events, and internal crises.

Before joining SummitET, Mark served as Senior Emergency Management Communication Analyst at Argonne National Laboratory and co-established the Public Affairs Science and Technology Fusion Cell as well as the National Public Affairs Academy. He was responsible for assisting government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and private sector groups with plans, protocols, procedures, training, and exercises relating to internal and external affairs.

A former Public Information Officer for the Charlotte Fire Department (CFD) and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management, Mark was responsible for the innovation of how the fire department and emergency management division engaged in public affairs. Basnight was the lead writer for all news releases and introduced new perspectives for interacting, gathering and disseminating information pertaining to public affairs. He was responsible for research, development, and initiation of social media technology. The CFD was one of the first public safety agencies (2009) on the east coast to employ social media for risk and crisis communications. Mark was recognized by the Charlotte City Council for his efforts to develop the synergies that led other areas of city government to utilize social media.

Basnight is a founding member and a past Chair for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Virtual Social Media Working Group. He served as a Lead Public Information Officer during the 2012 Democratic National Convention and had a significant role in planning, coordinating and implementing the Joint Information Center for Charlotte-Mecklenburg. Mark has established relationships and worked closely with police departments across the nation, the FBI, and the U.S. Secret Service. He is an alumnus of the inaugural FEMA 389 Masters Public Information Officer Course and has served as an adjunct instructor for the Emergency Management Institute (Emmitsburg, MD).

Basnight is a resourceful communication and public safety ace with over 32 years’ experience in these industries combined. He is accomplished at leading and managing national, regional, and tribal relations to promote knowledge, awareness, and support for multifaceted issues and programs. Mark has a degree in Communications and is sought after as a subject matter expert in the areas of media relations, crisis communications, emergency public information, Joint Information Systems\Centers and social media technology & strategy for public safety agencies. He is a nationally known communications crackerjack who has assisted dozens of communities and organizations in preparing to effectively communicate with multiple audiences during times of crises.

Rebecca Feaster

Public Relations and Government Communications
SummitET

Rebecca is a member of SummitET’s strategic communications team and has worked in a variety of strategic communication leadership positions in the United States and internationally. She has facilitated and presented seminars and training around the world, and is known for her high-energy presentations and workshops. Rebecca specializes in “best-in-class” crisis communication and leadership communication training, developing communication training curriculum, facilitating community engagements, and providing cultural awareness and sexual harassment training programs.  Prior to opening her own firm, Rebecca served with a diverse number of organizations, including the City of Rockville, MD as the city’s public information officer, spokesperson for Virginia State Police, and as a communications consultant in the Middle East. While living in Bahrain, she worked as a reporter for Associated Press and Bahrain’s Ministry of Information. She also spent time as a public affairs officer in the US Air Force, at bases throughout the US, and in Saudi Arabia and Puerto Rico. She holds a Master of International Policy from the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in economics from Tufts University, and is a certified mediator in the State of Virginia. In 2007, Ms. Feaster completed a fellowship program on Culture, Religion and World Affairs at Boston University.

NATIONAL RECOGNITION 

• Stevie Award for Women in Business – National Community Involvement Program of the Year 
• Fast Company Reader’s Choice FAST 50 (national recognition, business innovative) 
• MarCom Creative Awards (Communication Training) 
• Women in Business Achievement Award – Inside Business Magazine, Norfolk, VA

Holly Hardin 

Manager, Strategic Communications Program 
SummtET 

As the Strategic Communications Program Manager at SummitET Holly manages, develops, and delivers public affairs, risk and crisis communication and emergency public information training, exercise support, and technical assistance. Holly also manages strategic communications research analysis, in addition to developing publications related to the enhancement of advanced communications systems for public safety and health. 

Prior to joining SummitET, Holly served as an Emergency Management Communications Analyst at Argonne National Laboratory and co-established the Public Affairs Science and Technology Fusion Cell, as well as the National Public Affairs Academy. At Argonne, Holly was responsible for assisting government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and private sector groups with plans, protocols, procedures, training, and exercises relating to internal and external affairs. Prior to Argonne, Holly worked for the Department of Justice in counterterrorism programs and was a first responder in the Department of Energy Oak Ridge Reservation Joint Information Center where she also managed a cadre of technical experts and provided risk and crisis communication and digital/social media expertise to Federal, state, and local government agencies, in addition to the commercial nuclear industry. 

Holly holds 15 years’ experience in emergency management with a focus on training and technology development. She has developed and delivered public affairs technology training courses for government agencies and the commercial nuclear industry, in addition to providing emergency public information training and exercise support for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP) and Radiological Emergency Preparedness (REP) Program and the Department of Energy complex. 

Ms. Hardin served as project manager for the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Emergency Management Issues Special Interest Group Emergency Public Information Subcommittee and as a first responder in the Oak Ridge Reservation Joint Information Center. She has additional experience in risk and crisis communications training, performing emergency management system appraisals and analysis, and providing expertise in exercise evaluations, audits, and quality assurance. She holds a master’s degree in Educational Psychology and Adult Education and is a FEMA Certified Master Exercise Practitioner. Additionally, Holly is a member of the DHS Science and Technology Social Media Working Group for Emergency Services and Disaster Management and a former volunteer for the Colorado Virtual Operations Support Team. 

Randy Melton

Human Resources Manager
SummitET

Randy Melton has been with SummitET for over 5 years managing all aspects of the HR department. Prior to SummitET he spent over 30 years working for Publix Supermarkets Inc., a Fortune 500 company, with a strong background in Human Resources, Management, and Customer Service.  As a Regional Associate Relations Specialist with Publix he provided HR support to divisional Vice Presidents, Regional Directors, District Managers, and Store Management, as well as over 9000 associates in over 60 + facilities. His position acted as a proactive force to prevent inappropriate practices and violations of law or corporate policies.  As a field representative, Mr. Melton played a key role in facilitating communication between the corporate Human Resources Department and the company’s operational units.  He has participated in numerous projects implemented and still used by Publix such as the Management Mentoring Program, Associate Transfer process, and Child Labor Hours Policy.   

Randy has extensive experience in conducting employment related investigations, monitoring federal and state compliance, administering management testing, monitoring management selection processes, providing human resources-related advice, and monitoring progress of diversity initiatives. He has facilitated many HR related training sessions and was instrumental in helping roll out the Publix Management Training Academy, a multi-day new management training session covering topics such as Conflict Management, EEO Laws, Harassment,  Performance Evaluations, Conducting Investigations, Proper Documentation, Importance of Diversity, Progressive Disciplinary Process, Proper Hiring and Separation practices.  

Randy received an AA degree from Daytona State College and attended the University of South Florida in Tampa majoring in Psychology.  He is a member of the Society of Human Resource Management and is currently working on his SCP certification. 

Frank Salomon

Deputy Chief/Public Information Officer
Phoenix Fire Department

Francisco Roberto Salomon (Frank) is a native of Nogales Sonora, Mexico, and emigrated to the United States in 1969. Since 1985, Frank has been a member of the Phoenix Fire Department, where he has served in numerous ranks and capacities. He has ascended from the position of recruit Firefighter to Deputy Chief of the Public Affairs Division. His bi-cultural background, bilingual skills, and focus on community education, safety, and advocacy have allowed Frank to serve in various leadership capacities. These positions include, but are not limited to, Public Information Officer for the Phoenix Fire Department and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Urban Search and Rescue Program (US&R) and Flight Paramedic for Samaritan (PHI) AirEvac. Frank has been an active member of the Command Staff of the Blue Incident Support Team for FEMA US&R as the Information Officer for over ten years. Frank’s commitment and passion for instructing have taken him to various countries, states, and around Arizona as a representative for the State of Arizona Fire Marshal’s Office, as well as Arizona’s Department of Emergency Management. However, his real passion is using a variety of platforms to present life-saving education to the Spanish-speaking community.

As an instructor for Summit, Frank is excited to share his diverse and extensive experience in crisis communications from an emergency responder perspective. His many years of federal deployments as an Information Officer with FEMA US&R and 35 plus years with the Phoenix Fire Department as the Deputy Chief of Public Affairs, have given him a profound perspective and understanding of crisis communications that he is eager to share.

Alvaro Zabaleta

Public Information Officer/Police Officer
Miami-Dade Police Department

Alvaro Zabaleta is a Police Officer and Public Information Officer with 21 years in law enforcement. Zabaleta currently serves as a Public Information Officer (PIO) for Miami-Dade Police Department.  Zabaleta has had the responsibility to handle Crisis Communications, Scene Management and National Events including major hurricanes (Katrina, Wilma and Irma) as well as two Super Bowl Joint Information Centers.  Locally, he has experience working police involved shootings, press conferences, scene management, and plane crashes.

At Miami-Dade Police Department Zabaleta’s duties include response to emergency calls for service, training recruits assigned to the district and training Basic PIO Seminars to local, state, and international audiences.  Additionally, Zabaleta is fluent in both English and Spanish.

In 2012 and 2015, Zabaleta coordinated fund-raising events for the Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team. A total of $26,000 was raised for their organization. Miami-Dade County Mayor gave special recognition during the State of the County Address for the selfless work for a great cause.