Where operational excellence becomes strategic influence.
Build the relationships, insight, and credibility your role demands in one trusted place.
Trusted by international partners and strategic organizations.
When was the last time you were intellectually curious?
After decades in senior professional roles, you've likely mastered your domain. You brief leaders, government officials, and are known in your industry. You manage institutional responses during crisis or disruption. You carry the weight of decisions that affect thousands—maybe millions.
But here's the uncomfortable truth: The complexity and speed of a crisis is evolving faster than the infrastructure supporting you.
A single cyber incident now triggers supply chain failures, regulatory responses, humanitarian needs, and international tensions within hours. The patterns of disruption you manage today bear little resemblance to the sector-specific challenges that shaped your career when you started. You're making strategic decisions in what we call "professional isolation," piecing together insights through LinkedIn outreach and conference connections. The informal networks you rely on—they're workarounds, not infrastructure.
And you know it.
Crisis events are becoming more frequent and complex
The United Nations reports a significant rise in disaster events in recent decades, driven by climate change and systemic risk. Many of these crises are interconnected, cross-sectoral, and under-reported—making traditional response models outdated.
Source: UNDRR Global Assessment Report
0
Major disaster events from 2000 to 2019
0
Projected disasters per year by 2030
0
Climate-related disasters in 2000–2019
2x
increase in major floods since 1980
1.5
Disasters per day projected by 2030
The Forum exists because you're ready for something different.
This isn't another executive education program. It's not a conference, association, or certification course that you complete and forget.
The Forum is what we think of as strategic infrastructure for senior professionals who shape institutional responses during complexity.
Imagine having the professional environment you've been looking for—where your operational expertise can evolve into policy influence, where individual mastery connects with collective strategic power.
Why They Joined The Forum
I’m drawn to the Forum because it creates space for bold, cross-sector thinking around public health and disaster challenges — exactly the kind of collaborative approach this moment demands.
— Eeva Harden, Assessor at IFRC
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What draws me … is the opportunity to actively shape the vision, values, and strategic direction of the Forum from the outset.
— Rade Rajkovchevski, Head of Secretariat at DPPI SEE
I’m drawn to the Forum because it creates space for bold, cross-sector thinking around public health and disaster challenges
— Drew Downing, Disaster Consultant at UpLift Federal
Here's what actually happens inside The Forum:
Monthly Executive Briefings
Direct insights from leaders at NATO, UN, and EU. Get real-time analysis of unfolding crises and candid policy perspectives your organization likely cannot access alone. All discussions follow Chatham House rules.
Cross-Sector Strategic Dialogue
Engage in structured peer exchange with vetted professionals across government, private, humanitarian, academic, and international sectors. Understand how others approach the same complex problems you face.
Influence Opportunities That Matter
Co-author policy papers, advise institutional decision-makers, and speak at global security forums. We help turn your operational expertise into ideas that shape how organizations respond.
Knowledge That Evolves With You
Access a growing collection of lessons from the field, with CEUs to meet certification needs. As challenges change, members shape what gets added next. This is living knowledge, not static content.
These are the professionals already shaping the conversation inside The Forum.
The professionals who tend to thrive here share three characteristics:
They've moved beyond purely tactical execution.
Their roles increasingly involve shaping policy structures and strategic approaches, not just managing day-to-day responses.
They're intellectually restless.
After 15-30 years of experience, they find themselves wanting to understand how other sectors solve similar problems with completely different approaches.
They're ready to influence systems.
They see opportunities to shape institutional frameworks but often lack the platform to translate their expertise across domains.
What Founding Members are saying:
"My interest in the forum at Crisis Lab is twofold: One is to continue to find ways to improve and grow myself in an area that I believe I am hitting a ceiling in at this point in my career. The second is to continue to find ways to move the aforementioned ceiling higher as a contribution to the profession."
— Carl J. "C.J." Unis, Systems Engineer/Systems Integrator, United States Space Force
"The Forum can address a critical need for strategic thinking and in-depth discussions, as existing associations are limited by diverse memberships. While strong professional associations focus on advocacy, they often lack the depth and expertise needed for substantial issue analysis and recommendations."
— Michael J. Sharon, Independent Emergency Manager/Consultant, Retired US Federal Employee
"By bringing together experienced voices from different systems, we can identify blind spots, challenge assumptions, and build the kind of anticipatory capacity that's urgently needed across all domains."
— Sophia Klewer, COO, PREVENCY
"I am driven to foster a trusted, interdisciplinary environment in crisis management where senior professionals from various sectors can connect, share experiences, and improve crisis readiness together."
— Paul Turner, President at Fund for Peace
"I'm not looking to join a finished product—I want to help build something meaningful from the ground up."
— Randall Collins, Director of Emergency Management, City and County of Honolulu
Our selection process is intentionally rigorous.
We’re building infrastructure for professionals who will help shape the future of institutional resilience. That requires thoughtful curation.
We typically accept about 20% of applicants.
This is not about exclusivity for its own sake. It’s about ensuring every member contributes to and benefits from the kind of strategic dialogue that makes The Forum valuable.
Your application will explore:
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Your professional background and current responsibilities
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The strategic challenges you're navigating
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How you envision contributing to and benefiting from The Forum
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Your professional development priorities and investment capacity
Questions From Strategic Professionals
Is there a price to join The Forum?
Can my organization sponsor my membership?
Why should my organization invest in my Forum membership?
What if The Forum isn't right for me?
How do I know if I'm selected?
What are the steps to joining The Forum?
What if I'm not selected?
So here's the strategic question we'd pose:
Will you continue piecing together insights through informal networks while the complexity and speed of crises accelerate around you?
Or are you ready to build the professional infrastructure that actually matches the reality of modern crisis leadership?
The professionals who recognize this moment don't need convincing. They need access.