our conference team

Oriya Nes Berlin shares her experience of narrowly surviving the October 7th Mass Violence Massacre. Her story and presence inspire us all with strength and resilience.  Attendees will gain a powerful, first-hand perspective on survival, courage, and the human impact of mass violence through Oriya Nes Berlin’s personal account of narrowly escaping the October 7th massacre. Her testimony offers invaluable insight for advocates, first responders, and professionals committed to victim support, highlighting both the immediate realities faced in moments of crisis and the long-term journey of healing and resilience. Participants can expect to deepen their understanding of trauma-informed response, strengthen their sense of purpose, and leave inspired by a survivor whose voice embodies the importance of preparedness, compassion, and the unwavering mission to leave no victim behind. 

Lynn Lindsay delivers a candid, no-nonsense look at how emergency management, victim services, and first responders can better serve victims of mass impact incidents. This session focuses on building relationships before a crisis, clarifying roles and expectations, and offering practical guidance on how advocates and emergency managers can effectively engage with one another when it matters most.

As former police chief of Ferguson, Missouri during one of the most consequential periods of civil unrest in modern U.S. history, Armstrong sat at the intersection of mass violence, community trauma, institutional breakdown, and victimization on multiple sides. His perspective is uniquely positioned to bridge law enforcement, advocates, first responders, and long-term recovery.  “When a City Becomes the Crime Scene: Serving Victims of Civil Unrest” 

Attendees will hear a deeply personal account from Chris Fields, a first responder to the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, as he reflects on the moments that defined one of America’s most devastating acts of domestic terrorism. Through his experience on the front lines, participants will gain insight into the emotional and psychological toll carried by those who respond to mass casualty events, as well as the lifelong journey toward healing that follows. Advocates, first responders, and allied professionals will leave with a renewed appreciation for the importance of peer support, mental health awareness, and resilience, along with practical perspective on how to better serve both victims and those who answer the call in times of crisis. 

Attendees will gain valuable international perspective from Sarah Crawford, Director of the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime, as she shares insights from one of the world’s leading victim support models. Her session will highlight effective strategies, policies, and collaborative approaches that have strengthened services for victims across Canada, offering practical lessons that can inform and enhance support systems in the United States and globally. Advocates, first responders, and allied professionals will leave with actionable ideas for improving victim assistance, strengthening cross-sector partnerships, and advancing a more compassionate, coordinated response for those impacted by crime and mass violence. 

Attendees will bear witness to a powerful firsthand account of survival as Elinor Bitton Bariach shares her experience of narrowly escaping the October 7th massacre. Her testimony offers a deeply human perspective on the realities of mass violence, the strength required to endure unimaginable loss, and the responsibility of remembrance. Advocates, first responders, and allied professionals will gain insight into the survivor’s journey in the aftermath of trauma, leaving with a renewed commitment to compassionate response, victim-centered support, and the urgent mission to ensure that such tragedies are neither forgotten nor repeated. 

Attendees will gain powerful insight from Josh Garcia, co-founder and board chair of The Holding Frames, a survivor-founded organization that brings trauma-informed, art-based healing to communities affected by mass violence and disaster. Drawing on his lived experience responding to tragedies following the Pulse nightclub shooting and his work supporting hundreds of impacted communities, Josh will share how recovery extends far beyond the immediate crisis and into the long journey of collective healing. Advocates, first responders, and allied professionals will leave with a deeper understanding of the critical gap between emergency response and long-term recovery, along with innovative, survivor-centered approaches that help communities process grief, rebuild connection, and move forward together. 

Attendees will receive rare, behind-the-scenes insight from Ben McNulty, Director of Security Services at Stanford Health Care, on what truly happens inside a hospital during the first chaotic hour after a mass-casualty incident. Drawing on his experience managing hospital operations and security during crises, he will deliver a practical, “down-and-dirty” briefing on how emergency departments transition into lockdown, incident command, and surge operations, and how outside victim support teams can integrate effectively without disrupting lifesaving care. Advocates, first responders, and partner organizations will gain critical guidance on establishing pre-incident relationships, credentialing, and coordinated deployment so access to victims is earned through planning, not improvised during chaos. Participants will leave with a clear understanding of what victims and families need most in those first hours, how to operate within security and privacy constraints, and how to support hospitals in a way that preserves safety, dignity, and compassionate care when it matters most.