Molly McPherson
Leading Crisis Communication Strategist & TikTok's “PR Lady”
Molly McPherson
Leading Crisis Communication Strategist & TikTok's “PR Lady”
Biography
Molly McPherson is renowned for transforming chaos into control. By day, she is a leading crisis communication strategist while also moonlighting as TikTok's “PR Lady” to a half-million followers. Molly is best known for her incisive analysis of brand and celebrity actions and ability to foresee and manage public relations crises. Whether delving into innovation in crisis management or guiding teams through social media backlash, Molly’s expertise shines through, making her an indispensable asset to any organization facing a media storm.
With an APR certification and a rich career spanning various high-stakes clients, from corporate to celebrity, Molly has a proven track record of innovative crisis communication. From her pioneering digital media strategies at FEMA to creating early crisis communication web resources for cruise lines during significant events like the 9/11 attacks and the 2002 Norovirus outbreaks, her experience is vast and varied. Molly is the author of Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis. Her media commentary has been featured on major network programming such as The Today Show, Good Morning America, NBC News, CNN, NPR, MSNBC, and the CBC. She is also a recognized Adweek Creative Visionary Award winner and a Forbes.com contributor, sharing her leadership and crisis management insights.
Audiences find Molly’s presentations not only highly informative but also engaging and interactive. Her sessions are filled with actionable takeaways tailored to their specific needs. Molly's ability to captivate and inspire, making complex crisis strategies accessible and actionable, is highlighted in testimonials. Whether through highly visual presentations or entertaining Q&As, Molly’s sessions leave participants better prepared to handle public relations challenges with confidence and poise.
Speaker Videos
Molly McPherson Sizzle Reel
Molly McPherson's Hot Takes on TikTok, Celebrity Scandals, and Corporate America
Speech Topics
The Moment Trust Breaks: Why Reputation Crises Begin Long Before the Headlines
Most organizations believe a crisis begins when the media calls. In reality, the crisis often started much earlier, when trust first began to break.
In this keynote, Molly walks audiences through the hidden patterns behind modern reputation crises. Drawing on real-world examples and behavioral insight, I explain why people organize, why leaders often miss the early warning signs, and how communication decisions can either stabilize a situation or make it worse.
Instead of focusing only on messaging tactics, this talk examines the human behavior behind crises. Once leaders understand these patterns, they can recognize problems earlier and respond with clarity, empathy, and credibility when public pressure rises.
This talk is perfect for executive audiences, boards, associations, and leadership conferences - focusing on trust, decision making, and the psychology of public backlash rather than technical PR strategy.
Audience Takeaways
- Why crises usually surprise leadership
- Why the public notices problems earlier
- The communication mistakes that escalate backlash
- How trust can be rebuilt after credibility is damaged
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