Jonathan Bernstein

Jonathan L. Bernstein, president of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc. has more than 25 years of experience meeting clients’ needs in all aspects of crisis management – crisis response, vulnerability assessment, planning, training and simulations. Prior to launching what was then known as Bernstein Communications in 1994, Bernstein created and served as the first director of the Crisis Communications Group for Ruder Finn, Inc., one of the world's largest public relations agencies. .

Bernstein’s crisis and issues management experience has encompassed a wide range of industries and subjects, to include accounting, architecture, associations, banking, charities, education, environment, financial services, food (retail and B2B), health care, housing, insurance, labor & employment, litigation, manufacturing, product recalls, professional services, real estate development, religious institutions, securities, security, senior housing, and white collar crime. He is self-admitted “geek,” online since 1982, who has pioneered strategies and tactics for Internet-centered crisis management.

His past experience includes corporate, agency and non-profit public relations positions, preceded by five years of investigative and feature journalism -- to include a stint with investigative reporter/columnist Jack Anderson. He is a veteran of five years in U.S. Army Military Intelligence covert operations.

Bernstein is publisher and editor of Crisis Manager, a first-of-its-kind email newsletter written for “those who are crisis managers whether they want to be or not,” currently read in 75 countries. His commercially published Keeping the Wolves at Bay: Media Training has been described as “an outstanding foundation for preparing individuals and organizations for effective crisis management.” Bernstein has been quoted as an expert source by a wide range of media outlets, to include AP, ABC News, BBC, Bloomberg News, Business 2.0, BusinessWeek, CBS, CNBC, ESPN, Forbes, Fox News, Inc. magazine, NPR, Reuters, The Christian Science Monitor, TheStreet.com, The Wall Street Journal, TIME Magazine, USA Today and many local and regional publications. A PR Week feature story entitled “The Crunch-Time Counselors” identified Bernstein as one of 22 “people who should be on the speed dial in a crisis.”

A popular speaker at a wide variety of industry functions, Bernstein has been featured and praised for presentations and workshops at events such as the American Bar Association, Arizona Bar Association, Association of Corporate Counsel, National Summit on Campus Security, World Conference on Disaster Management, National Symposium for Healthcare Executives, Builder 100 Conference, International Facility Management Association, the National School Boards Association, and Intel Corporation’s Worldwide Issue Prevention & Management Group,

A married father of five, Bernstein is an avid archer and folksinger and is very active in community service.