Leadership

The Foundation exists to promote professional and personal preparedness, response, and recovery practices through proactive, real-time engagement with organizations and communities impacted by disaster and crisis events.

With that noble mission in mind, our Board of Directors collectively represent years of experience within the fields of business continuity, disaster recovery, risk and crisis management and emergency management. We are proud that our board members embody the values, drive and responsibility to fulfill this mission whenever and wherever possible by helping communities impacted by disaster connect with relief organizations worldwide and proactive advocacy for those most in need.


Board of Directors

AnneMarie Staley 2015Chair of the Board; Development

AnneMarie Staley, CBCP, MBCI
Head of BCP Americas, Credit Agricole CIB

AnneMarie Staley is currently Head of BCP Americas, Credit Agricole CIB. Prior to this position, she was the Global Business Continuity Manager for AmTrust Financial Services, Inc., a multinational property and casualty insurer specializing in coverage for small to mid-sized businesses. With extensive underwriting experience, AmTrust has earned a reputation as an innovative, technology-driven provider of insurance products. AmTrust is listed on the NASDAQ global market under the symbol AFSI.

Prior to AmTrust, Staley was the Managing Director for Global Business Continuity Management at the New York Stock Exchange between 2000 and 2014. Due in part to her innovative management of BCM at the New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE received the NYC OEM Private Partner in Preparedness Award. Her prior fields of business experience include Law, Investment Banking and Philanthropy.

Staley is Chair of the DRI Foundation; the philanthropic arm of DRI International, and Chair of the DRI Awards of Excellence Program, which honors and bestows awards to business continuity professionals and organizations each year at the annual DRI Conference.

Industry memberships include BCP Steering Committee for SIFMA (Securities Industry & Financial Markets Association); Contingency Planning Exchange (CPE); and Association for Contingency Planners (ACP), Financial Services Sector Coordinating Council (FSSCC), Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center (FS-ISAC) and others. She is ITIL Foundation certified and has been a Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP) through DRI since 2004 and is an MBCI through the Business Continuity Institute.


bio-jerryVice Chair of the Board; Veterans Outreach Program

Jerry Vevon, MBCP, CBCP, CPSCP
Senior Manager, BDO United States

Jerry Vevon has 44 years of management, leadership, and analytical experience including strategic planning, continuity of operations, business continuity planning, crisis management, assessments, and force protection. He has served on active duty in the US Army as a Ranger-qualified Master Parachutist. At Deloitte, Jerry was the senior resilience practitioner in the Government and Public Services account providing focused support to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and US Census Bureau.  He has received the CIA National Intelligence Certificate of Distinction, the US Army Military Intelligence Knowlton Award, and is a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Serves as Vice Chairman of the Disaster Recovery International Foundation (DRIF). Master Business Continuity Professional (MBCP), Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP), and Certified Public Sector Continuity Professional (CPSCP).


Alan BermanPresident and Treasurer

Alan Berman
President, The Whitcomb Group

Alan Berman is an MBCP, a member of the ASIS BS25999 technical committee, a member of the Committee of Experts for ANSI-ANAB, a former member of the NY City Partnership for Security and Risk Management and the co-chair for the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation committee to create the new standard for the US Private Sector Preparedness Act (PL 110-53).  Over a career that has spanned 25 years, he has served as a President and CIO for a major financial institution, National Practice Leader for Operational Resiliency for PricewaterhouseCoopers and Global Business Continuity practice leader for Marsh.   


Director; Volunteerism

Bonnie Canal
Founder and Managing Partner of The Resiliency Institute, LLC

Bonnie Canal, MBCP is an internationally recognized leader in both community and business resilience innovations and strategies. She is the founder and Managing Partner of The Resiliency Institute, LLC (TRI) and leads her team in creating comprehensive solutions for organizations by understanding the role they play in community preparedness and resiliency. She continues her resiliency consulting for organizations, communities, and non-profits while traveling the US engaging in the conversation at the community level. She is a proud native of New Orleans  and has experienced what she calls, “The Katrina, Rita, Ike, Gustav, and BP Oil Spill” disasters firsthand.  Bonnie has worked in the field of Community Resiliency for 15 years and while bringing her for 30 years of work experience within the Information Technology Sector.

As a business leader, Bonnie has had to learn how resilience must play an active role in any professional’s life. Thus, the need to develop her “Resilience as a Habit”, “Creating a Culture of Resilience” and “Thinking Without a Box” programs. She is also a FEMA approved instructor and through the University of Hawaii; and teaches Community Resilience; Flooding Hazards: Science & Preparedness, Hurricane Awareness; and Planning for Debris Management (of which she co-authored).  Across the country she is well known for her energetic and informative presentations in Resilience, Business Continuity and Disaster Preparations and Recovery. She also is a Lead Instructor for the Disaster Recovery Institute (DRI) for their Business Continuity and Pandemic Classes.


Director; Women in Business Continuity Management Executive Committee

Mitzi Harlor
Director, Business Continuity Office, Marriott International

Mitzi Harlor, CBCP, has been a business continuity practitioner for nearly 20 years and is currently the Director of Business Continuity Planning for Marriott International.  She is proud to be a charter member and former Vice Chair of DRI Foundation’s Women in Business Continuity Management Committee and received DRI Foundation’s Distinguished Service Award in 2022 for her commitment to growing networking and professional development opportunities for women within our industry.

Prior to her role with Marriott International, Harlor led business continuity efforts for AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals’ North American Continent team and was a Senior Consultant with SunGard Availability Services.  Harlor has spoken at several industry conferences, is certified in crisis communications through FEI Behavioral Health, and serves as the Director of Strategic Alliances for the Mid-Atlantic Disaster Recovery Association as well.

Harlor graduated summa cum laude from Washington, D.C.-based American University and remains in the DC area with her husband and children.


bio-micheleDirector

Michele Ostler
Director of Operations and Conferences, DRI International

Michele Ostler is the Director of Operations and Conferences for DRI International. Michele supports the delivery of education, international, certification, awards of excellence and foundation programs. Michele also manages the annual DRI conference. She coordinates across all departments at DRI International and values teamwork.

Prior to her work with DRI, Michele spent 4 years at Goldman Sachs as a Human Resources Generalist and In-House Event Planner. Following her tenure there, Michele has served as the Founder and Event Planner for Penta Dynamic Solutions – a full-service association management and event planning firm.

A native New Yorker, Michele holds a BA and an MA in Psychology from Marist College. Michele resides in Long Island with her husband Tony and twins Vincent and Madeline.


Director; Giving

Frank Perlmutter, MBCP

Frank Perlmutter has been a part of the Business Continuity profession for over 20 years. As a consultant, he delivered Business Continuity Services to over 200 clients. He was both the Founder and CEO of Strategic BCP and the Lead Business Architect of ResilienceONE business continuity planning and risk management software.

Frank is devoted to his community and the non-profits that support them. In 2019, he founded the Perlmutter Fund for Animal Welfare to support animals in need around the world and Frank has personally placed over 500 animals in forever homes through these wonderful organizations. Frank is a proud father of 2 and volunteer coach for the Horsham Youth Soccer and Horsham Hawks Youth Football Teams for 7 years.   Frank is also a member of MENSA International (the High IQ Society) and enjoys spending time with the other members.


bio-micheletDirector; Giving

Michele L. Turner, MBCP, FBCI, CISA, CRISC, GRCP
Vice President of Business Continuity, Marriott International

Michele L. Turner, MBCP, FBCI, CISA, CRISC, CCRP, is an Amazon #1- best selling author and resiliency leader with close to 30 years’ experience in the areas of Governance, Risk, and Compliance. She is the 2022 Disaster Recovery Institute International (DRII) Lifetime Achievement award winner, and Vice President- Business Continuity for Marriott International. Prior roles include Head of Global Business Resiliency for Amazon Corporate, as well as Governance, Risk, Compliance and Business Continuity roles within Microsoft. Turner has a Master of Science degree in Business Continuity from Norwich University, and is an international speaker on the topic of Business Continuity, Risk Management, Governance, and related areas. She is a requested guest lecturer at the University of Washington, on such topics as Cyber Security and Operational Risk, and a Course Instructor and Board Director for Disaster Recovery Institute International (DRI).

Lessons Learned: Short Stories of Continuity and Resilience- https://amzn.to/3uDhshF


Headshot (1)Secretary

Pascale Phelan, ABCP
Manager, DRI International 

Pascale Phelan joined DRI International in 2010 and serves as Secretary to the Board of Directors of the DRI Foundation. Prior to joining DRI, Pascale worked in business development at CIT, GE, and the Interpublic Group of Companies. She actively participates in community service with previous engagements in Alaska, Haiti, Ecuador, and Kenya.


General Counsel

Jeffrey Berman

Jeffrey Berman is a litigator and in-house counsel who has extensive experience with compliance, risk management and securities law. He also served as a lecturer-in-law at UCLA School of Law for several years and has practiced in both state and federal courts in New York and California. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia Law School.

 


Committees

Development Committee
Chair: AnneMarie Staley

Giving Committee
Chair: Frank Permutter
Al Berman
Michele Turner
Jerry Vevon

Scholarship Committee
Rosemary McDonnell
Steven Haynes
Michael Lay
Donna Jacobs

Veterans Outreach Program Committee 
DRI Liaison: Al Berman
Chair: Jerry Vevon
Co-Chair: Duane Bygum, National University, Homeland Security and Emergency Management
Co-Chair: Catherine Cooper, Advocate Aurora Health
Special Projects: Alan Lake

Volunteer Committee
Chair: Bonnie Canal

Women in Business Continuity Management  Executive Committee

Chair: Mitzi Harlor
Vice-Chair, Mentorship: Robyn Kimbro, Walmart
Programs & Engagement Co-Lead: Aubrey Wade, UKG
Programs & Engagement Co-Lead: Melody Wen
Mentorship Lead, International Development Lead: Marsha Buehler, Chase
Scholarship: Karina de Allicon, Nike

Advisors:
Past Chair and Advisor: Diane Doering, Takeda Pharmaceutical
Latin America and the Caribbean: Camila Pezzutti Domingues Ishikawa, Morgan Stanely Brasil