Hostage US is holding a daylong seminar in Chicago, focusing on how organizations can effectively support families of employees taken hostage and help employees reintegrate back into the workplace after captivity.

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (registration beginning at 8:30 AM)

Faegre Baker Daniels LLP, 311 S Wacker Drive, Suite 4300, Chicago, IL 60606 (map directions)

Best Practices in Family Support and Hostage Reintegration

The seminar includes a variety speakers with expertise in the challenges facing employers when an employee is taken hostage. It will answer key questions facing those responsible for kidnap response within organizations from security, legal, HR and communications disciplines.

Kidnapping trends and developments

• Frank Grimm, Director of Crisis Response Services, Constellis, will outline the current kidnapping trends and latest developments.

First-hand experience and reflections from a family

• Diane Foley, mother of James Foley, freelance journalist murdered by ISIS in 2014 and founder of James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, will share her reflections on family experiences during and after a kidnapping.

Reintegration challenges for a hostage returning home

• Roy Hallums, held hostage in Iraq for 311 days will discuss the reintegration challenges for returning hostages and how employers can assist in the return to the workplace.

Duty of care in relation to a hostage situation

• Thomas Posey, Partner at Faegre Baker Daniels LLP will give an overview of your organizations obligations for duty of care when an employee is taken hostage.

The response of the US Government

• Diane Ryan,  Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell and Matthew Long, FBI Representative, the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs will discuss the US Governments role in hostage situations

Hostage family support best practices case study

• Jonathan Phillippe, Stratfor and Hostage US Family Support Volunteer, will share his experiences of providing family support through a kidnapping including a case study on best practices and lessons learned.

Kidnap and ransom insurance: what you need to know

• Amy Manson, Hostage US Board of Directors will discuss how to access the full range of support services for hostages and their families available through insurance coverage.

Social media during a hostage case

• Jason Reich, Director of Global Security, BuzzFeed, will explain the challenges that social media poses for a family and for an employer during a hostage case

See full agenda here.