When Speed Breaks Authority
Executive keynotes and podcast conversations on decision authority, AI-driven crises, and what leadership must get right before scrutiny arrives.
Organizations rarely fail because of missing plans. They fail because authority collapses under speed. Ann Marie van den Hurk brings 30 years of practitioner experience to every stage and every conversation — helping executive audiences see exactly where governance breaks and what to do about it before the next incident.
Reputational damage usually occurs before facts are confirmed.
Crisis plans don't fail. Authority does.
Silence is interpreted, whether leaders intend it or not.
Tools don't create resilience. Aligned leadership does.
Speaking Engagements
Sessions designed for leaders who already understand risk and want to know why crisis plans fail in practice — and how to prevent hesitation from becoming reputational and financial damage. Direct, practical, and executive-focused.
Signature Talks
Reputation at the Speed of Code
When speed exposes authority gaps before facts are known
Why crisis plans fail in AI-driven incidents and what leaders must decide in advance to protect credibility and continuity.
When the Story Breaks Before the Facts
Decision authority in the first 20 minutes
How silence, hesitation, and misalignment are interpreted in modern crises — and what leaders can do before scrutiny hits.
Synthetic Incidents and the Illusion of Resilience
Why detection tools are not enough
How deepfakes, impersonation attacks, and contested reality undermine leadership confidence — and why governance determines outcomes.
Who Ann Marie Speaks To
Boards of Directors and executive teams
CISOs and General Counsels
Communications, risk, and compliance leaders
Industry and professional associations
Selected Engagements
Podcasts & Media
Ann Marie appears on podcasts as a thought partner — not a promoter. Her focus is on how leaders think, decide, and hesitate when facts are incomplete and the story is already moving. Recent appearances:
The M-Dash Report
What Did You Just Say? Communication Through a Crisis
May 28, 2026
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Business Security Weekly — BSW #441
Executive Paralysis
April 1, 2026
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The Business Emergency Room
The First Hour of an AI Crisis
February 24, 2026
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Complex Spice
Complexity Around Land, Insurance, and Preparing for a Crisis
February 19, 2026
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PreparedEx — Episode 163
Mind the Gap: Bridging Cybersecurity, Crisis Communications, and Reputation Risk
January 20, 2026
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Why waiting for verification is now a reputational risk
When silence stopped being neutral in crises
Why the first decision matters more than the first statement
How AI-generated incidents are breaking traditional crisis response
Why governance, not technology, determines outcomes
One-Sheets
Download Ann Marie's speaker and podcast guest one-sheets for booking inquiries.
What Organizers and Hosts Say
Ann Marie captured the attention of the group and delivered actionable insight that leaders could apply immediately.Chief Financial Officer, SubStation II
She brings clarity to how crises impact organizations before people even realize it's happening.Board Member, PRSA New Mexico Chapter
Ann Marie van den Hurk
Ann Marie van den Hurk is a decision authority advisor, keynote speaker, and originator of the CrisisOS5™ Executive Framework. She has spent more than 30 years advising organizations at the intersection of crisis communications, cyber risk, and executive governance.
She is the author of the first guide to managing crises in the social media age and a member of the International Society of Automation. She works with boards, CISOs, general counsels, and executive teams to prepare for the moments when authority is tested publicly.
Based in Newport, Rhode Island. Available to speak in person across Providence, Boston, Portsmouth, Portland, and Hartford — and across Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, and Connecticut — and globally.
Invite Ann Marie to Speak or Join Your Podcast
For speaking availability, custom session design, or podcast guest inquiries — reach out directly.
Based in Newport, Rhode Island. Available across Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, and Connecticut — and nationally and globally.