USF Hosts Hands-On Workshop to Help Organizations Strengthen Disaster Preparedness
A new hands-on workshop aimed at helping organizations prepare for unexpected disruptions is coming to the Tampa area this spring, offering practical tools and strategies for business continuity planning.
The University of South Florida Future of Food Think Tank is presenting Beyond the Storm, a free, interactive training designed for businesses, nonprofits, and other organizations looking to strengthen their readiness in the face of emergencies. The program focuses on turning uncertainty into actionable plans, helping participants move from asking what if to being fully prepared.
The workshop will emphasize the importance of having a formal continuity plan in place, noting that many disaster relief grants and assistance programs require documented preparedness efforts. Participants will gain foundational knowledge to begin building a continuity plan, along with access to plug-and-play templates and a streamlined one-page checklist to guide implementation.
Two sessions are scheduled, beginning with a Continuity Planning Workshop on April 7 from 1 to 3 p.m., followed by a Plan Activation Workshop on May 5 from 1 to 2 p.m. Both sessions will be held at the Hillsborough County Public Safety Complex in Tampa and will also be accessible virtually through Microsoft Teams.
The training will be led by Heather Koester, CEO of Invigorate Nexus and a regional Disaster Resilience Officer with United Way Suncoast, and Elizabeth A. Dunn, a public health expert and educator specializing in disaster management and community resilience.
Organizers say the goal of the workshop is to equip participants with the knowledge and tools needed to safeguard their people, protect their mission, and maintain operations year-round, even in the face of unforeseen challenges.
