Videos
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A Conversation with Alejandro Mayorkas, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security (2021-2025) -
QSC24 - Risk and Resiliency - Juliette Kayyem
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Starr Forum: The US and the World Under Trump: The First 100 Days
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HLS Beyond presents: Why I Changed My Mind 2024
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American Tornadoes: Minutes to Survive, Years to Rebuild (DOCUMENTARY)
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How Can Health-Care Innovation Improve Patient Care and Access? | The Atlantic’s Health Summit
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Examining possible security lapses in New Orleans attack
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Trump rally security lapse “hard to defend” says Juliette Kayyem
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Juliette Kayyem on how we can prepare for the next disaster
Learn More About Juliette Kayyem
In the uncertain world we live in today, it’s vital for leaders at all levels of an organization to be prepared to respond when crises happen. Creating clear and quickly implementable response initiatives is security and preparedness expert Juliette Kayyem (“KAI-em”).
Renowned for her nonpartisan approach to translating public safety and security through vivid examples and lessons learned from history, Kayyem is the faculty chair of the Homeland Security and Global Crisis Resilience Projects at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She teaches the premier course on mitigating and managing crises at Harvard and is CNN’s senior national security analyst.
A Pulitzer Prize finalist, contributing writer for The Atlantic and a contributor for Boston’s local NPR station, GBH, she is one of the most articulate, highly sought-after security, disaster preparedness and response, and crisis communications experts in the world.
“What makes crises different is the short runway – time is limited and decisive action is critical,” explains Kayyem, recipient of the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Pinnacle Award from the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce. “Rather than dwelling on what could go wrong, the best leaders focus on preparation and resilience strategies. Disaster preparation must be standard operating procedure for any leader. We can better prepare for the crash landing.”
Having served as President Barack Obama’s assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security and Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick’s homeland security advisor, Kayyem is a frequent consultant to private sector businesses, nonprofits and governments internationally, providing clear-eyed guidance for responding to unexpected potential catastrophes such as natural disasters and cyberattacks, an increasingly urgent threat as AI spreads and its capabilities grow.
“When it comes to cybersecurity, it’s vital to have a robust preparedness architecture,” explains Kayyem, author of “Security Mom: An Unclassified Guide to Protecting Our Homeland and Your Home” (2016). “We spend a lot of time on prevention and protection, but a pivot strategy is just as important to mounting an effective response and maintaining ongoing resiliency.”
Addressing the nuance between success and failure, she urges leaders to shift their thinking.
“Traditionally, people think of success as ‘the bad thing didn’t happen’ and failure as ‘the bad thing happened,” explains Kayyem, author of the landmark bestseller “The Devil Never Sleeps: Learning to Live in an Age of Disasters” (PublicAffairs, March 2022). “If we think about it that way, we’re giving up a lot of agency. The key isn’t not to fail, it’s to have the capacity to fail safer.”
Providing managers with the skills needed to harness an informed situational awareness when destabilizing events happen, Juliette Kayyem shows that leadership isn’t only about responding to a problem but being able to able to anticipate and prepare for the pressures and disruptions that will surely arise when they do.
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Juliette Kayyem consults for governors, mayors, public and private institutions on crisis management. She is a senior advisor to Teneo, the global consulting firm, and founded her own consulting firm to support the preparedness needs of companies, from Fortune 500 to startups. She was named one of Inc. Magazine’s top 100 Female Founders in 2019 and received the Lifetime Achievement Pinnacle Award from the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce in 2023.
Kayyem is the author or editor of six books, including “The Devil Never Sleeps” (PublicAffairs, March 2022) which was described in a New Yorker profile of her as an “engagingly urgent blueprint for rethinking our approach to disaster preparedness and response.”
Juliette Kayyem is available to advise your organization via virtual and in-person consulting meetings, interactive workshops and customized keynotes through the exclusive representation of Stern Speakers & Advisors, a division of Stern Strategy Group®.
Learn to “Fail Safer” When Disasters Are Inevitable
When disasters and emergencies are unavoidable, the line between success and failure blurs. Traditionally, people think of success as ‘the bad thing didn’t happen’ and failure as ‘the bad thing happened,’ but, according to Harvard Kennedy School professor Juliette Kayyem, when “bad things” are inevitable, it’s important that leaders understand how to “fail safer.” In this eye-opening presentation, she draws on her landmark book “The Devil Never Sleeps: Learning to Live in an Age of Disasters,” to show that a vital part of rethinking our approach to disaster preparedness and response is rethinking what failure can look like. Audiences will leave with a new outlook on how we can take back agency with the capacity to fail safer.
Harness AI for Good While Mitigating Risks Like Cyberattacks
America stands at a pivotal moment in history, where artificial intelligence is reshaping the very foundation of national security. According to Harvard Kennedy School professor Juliette Kayyem, AI is not just a technological advancement — it is a force multiplier, one that can either strengthen our defenses or be exploited by our adversaries. In this revealing presentation, she outlines the importance of leveraging AI’s power for good while mitigating the risks that come with it such as cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, supply chain disruptions and more. Audiences will leave with a practical understanding of the national security implications of AI and how we can better harness its powers and regulate the vulnerabilities it is simultaneously creating for our safety.
A Toolkit for Facing Uncertainty With Confidence and Readiness
Leaders don’t need to be reminded that the world is unpredictable or that crises can strike without warning. But what truly defines a crisis? It’s the short runway – where time is limited, and decisive action is critical. In this hyper-relevant presentation, faculty chair of the Homeland Security and Global Crisis Resilience Projects at Harvard’s Kennedy School Juliette Kayyem shifts the focus from dwelling on what could go wrong to proven strategies for preparation and resilience. Drawing on her extensive expertise in crisis and disaster management, she explains that while we can’t prevent every disaster, we can better prepare for any crash landing. Audiences will leave with a clear and actionable playbook that equips leaders with tools for anticipating and preparing for the pressures and disruptions that will surely arise, empowering them to face uncertainty with confidence and readiness.
Security Mom: An Unclassified Guide to Protecting Our Homeland and Your Home
(Simon & Schuster, April 2016)
Engage With Unrivaled Crisis Preparedness, Response and Resilience Expertise
In a world of uncertainty where disasters and security breaches can strike at any time, robust preparation, response and resilience strategies are vital to every organization. Juliette Kayyem, faculty chair of the Homeland Security and Global Crisis Resilience Projects at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, former Obama White House homeland security official, and CNN’s senior national security analyst provides leaders with powerful frameworks and tools for shoring up their firms before inevitable emergencies strike. She is available to discuss any or all of the following topics in programs and tabletop exercises that can be customized to meet the needs and goals of your organization with the added option of meeting virtually or in person.
- Learn to ‘Fail Safer’ When Disasters Are Inevitable
- Harness AI for Good While Mitigating Risks Like Cyberattacks
- A Toolkit for Facing Uncertainty With Confidence and Readiness
Praise for "The Devil Never Sleeps"
“An eye-opening look at the disasters that have troubled humans throughout history—and why they seem to be increasing in frequency… An urgent, useful survival manual for our time.”
“Full of practical advice and incisive analysis, this is an astute and timely road map for mitigating the consequences of the next cataclysm.”
“Kayyem combines real-world national security experience, the everyday personal experiences of an individual, and the genius of a policy thinker for her compelling and engaging new book. Virtually anything Kayyem writes is a must-read and she has put it all together to help us prepare for our era of disasters.”
“From 9/11 through the pandemic, the United States has been battered by several decades of emergencies. Even more, and worse, are ahead. Juliette Kayyem has a clear-eyed, sane, urgent-but-not-frantic set of principles to guide us in dealing with ‘the devil.’ We’ll all be better off for following her advice.”
“Juliette Kayyem is who we call when disaster strikes for a reason: she’s calm, unafraid, and deeply informed. Here she leaves no disaster unturned as she shows how we can be ready to respond. She’ll open your eyes: you’ll definitely never think of Fukushima, fires, or even Beyoncé the same way again.”
“Juliette Kayyem’s infectious energy and passion for reasoned crisis management jump out of the pages of her book. She has written a succinct, compelling kitchen-table tutorial on how to get your head around crises. A must-read for first responders, crisis managers, and the normal citizen who wants to anticipate, prepare, cope, and be resilient.”
“We live in a dangerous world where big trouble is inevitable. Oddly, those who warn us to be better prepared are often dismissed. But Juliette Kayyem refuses to be a modern-day Cassandra. Get your head around this book and get smart. Or ignore her lessons at your own peril.”
“In a world marred by preventable miscalculation, Juliette Kayyem’s ‘The Devil Never Sleeps’ provides a playbook for making it out alive.”
Praise for "Security Mom"
"[A] lively debut...Kayyem bolsters her own story with real-life case studies, from the 9/11 terrorist attacks to the Boston Marathon bombing (nearly in her own backyard), and plenty of enthusiastic 'can-do' advice...Kayyem identifies with and is a leading voice for the worry-prone parents who will most appreciate her memoir."
“Security Mom could not be a more timely or engaging read. As both mother and homeland security expert, Kayyem weaves together stories that any parent can relate to with a larger and essential point. It is time for Americans to take responsibility themselves for securing their homeland, doing our part as citizens to make us a self-reliant and resilient nation.”
"A unique, personal and readable story about a compelling issue that touches all American families. Whatever your views on security policy, Juliette Kayyem provides important insights into the question: 'Are we safe?'"
"Insightful, honest and with no shortage of humor, Kayyem's memoir may prove -- beyond any government accounting or historical analysis -- the most lasting contribution to explaining America's security efforts and engaging our communities for the challenges we will certainly face. She brings it home for all of us."
