(Houston, TX)– Houston communications specialist Jeff L. Braun has been named to the board of directors of the Family Assistance Foundation, Inc. (FAF), an organization founded to support and improve business and industry responses during emergencies and disasters. 

Braun, who serves as founder and president of the Houston-based Crucial Communications Group, is an internationally recognized communications consultant and brings with him an extensive experience providing counsel to numerous organizations and Fortune 500 companies during high-profile events and crises.   His background of service to a large cross-section of industry is a good fit for the FAF.  Though the organization’s founding membership base was largely made up of representatives from the airline industry, over the years its research-based practices have gained international acclaim and have been adopted by a growing and diverse number of industries.

“The addition of Jeff to the Foundation’s board is significant for many reasons,” said Jeff Morgan co-founder of the organization.  “Not only does he bring his leadership in the field of crisis communications consulting and training to our organization but, just as important, he has years of experience as a working journalist.  The media is an ever-present fixture in most crises; understanding how to make them a partner rather than an adversary is a key element in our work.  Jeff is one of the few individuals I’ve ever met who is truly skilled in navigating the demands and challenges faced by both sides. ”

In addition to serving on the board, Braun will also serve as the primary spokesperson for the organization and will work to bring more attention to the FAF’s international efforts.  

The Foundation takes a unique, research-based approach to helping organizations successfully respond to emergencies by providing key resources that are mobilized and coordinated during the acute phase of a crisis and beyond.

“The Family Assistance Foundation spent years studying crises and how responses to these events could be improved, then they built an unparalleled network of partners and members committed to serving others professionally and compassionately,” said Jeff Braun.  “Communication today requires a keen understanding of how words and actions, or the absence of action is interpreted by those involved, those impacted, and those watching.   The Foundation provides an ongoing forum for sharing research, knowledge and experiences about best practices in crisis communications.  I’m honored to be part of this team.”

The Foundation’s education and training programs support members by monitoring the long-term outcomes of those impacted by tragedy.   Promoting awareness and building skills and knowledge for those who are charged with responding are crucial elements of the Foundation’s fully-integrated training programs for business and industry.

At the FAF’s annual symposium, member organizations and survivors are provided with the opportunity to share lessons-learned and information about how to continually improve response efforts and business practices during tragic situations.

In addition to his board appointment with the Family Assistance Foundation, serves as Vice President of Communications for AVIEM International, a firm that provides logistical, on site support and planning services for companies in a variety of industries, including transportation, hospitality, oil and gas and various retail industries.   He joins existing FAF board members Jeff Morgan, Dr. Carolyn Coarsey Walt Houghton, and Rich Anderson.

For more information about the Family Assistance Foundation, including information about its annual educational symposium, go to www.fafon-line.org.