How AI Makes Crisis Exercises Smarter, Sharper, and More Measurable
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Tabletops are getting a glow-up. AI is reshaping how organizations design, deliver, and learn from exercises—replacing static scenarios and post-it notes with dynamic, data-rich experiences that build real capability (and actually stick).
In this session, Donna Speckhard and Paula Fontana unpack practical ways AI is raising the bar on preparedness, including:
- Horizon scanning to surface emerging risks before they become headlines
- Auto-generating exercises tailored to your risk profile, industry, or role
- AI as a real-time coach—nudging, guiding, and supporting decision-makers in the moment
- Turning AI into the adversary in a choose-your-own-chaos format
- Capturing and analyzing learnings as they happen, not days later
- Quantifying the impact of resilience—so you can finally answer, “Was it worth it?”
You’ll also get a behind-the-scenes look at how organizations are blending AI with experiential learning to make preparedness feel less like a compliance chore and more like second nature.
Perfect for resilience professionals, risk leads, and security execs ready to shake up their exercise game - without waiting for the next real crisis to test it.
We look forward to welcoming you!
Speakers:
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Donna Speckhard
Risk Advisor & Mission Ambassador
Donna Speckhard is a risk and resilience strategist with a track record of helping
organizations navigate disruption, build operational strength, and foster cultures of adaptivity.
With over 15 years of experience across government, private sector, and nonprofit organizations, Donna brings a rare blend of policy fluency and on-the-ground execution at Fannie Mae. As a strategic Advisor, she is known for making risk and resilience practical - whether through immersive simulations, creative training programs, or cross-functional problem-solving.
Donna has advised organizations at every level, from public agencies to global enterprises, guiding boards, leadership, and frontline teams through complex challenges like crisis management, third-party risk, compliance adoption, business continuity, and emerging risk response. A thought leader on AI’s impact on risk and resilience, Donna explores emerging threats and opportunities, helping organizations navigate the evolving landscape of AI-driven risks.
Donna’s work sits at the intersection of innovation and impact - powered by a deep belief in human resilience and the systems that support it.
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Paula Fontana
Chief Marketing Officer, iluminr
Paula Fontana is an innovation strategist and builder focused on resilience, digital risk, and human-centered technology.
As CMO of iluminr, she’s helping redefine how organizations navigate disruption, using AI and behavioral science to create adaptivity in change.
She’s the founder of Eudai AI, a venture helping organizations implement AI with impact and the creator of Uncharted, a podcast exploring the edges of innovation, change, and leadership.
With a background spanning emergency response, third party risk, cybersecurity, product innovation, and business operations, Paula brings a fresh lens to navigating complexity at the convergence of people and tech.
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