About the program:
The prospect of getting locked up abroad doesn’t usually cross Americans' minds when they leave the United States, and, fortunately, most of the time, Americans’ trips abroad end safely back in the U.S. as planned. When those trips don’t go as planned, and an American gets detained abroad, their families often turn to Jonathan Franks, a consultant who specializes in freeing Americans detained abroad. While we have all heard about Americans being taken hostage in hostile foreign countries like Russia, Iran, China, and Venezuela, most Americans who find themselves in trouble aren’t in one of the “hostage-taking countries.” Most of the time, detentions of Americans take place in “friendly’ countries, including popular vacation destinations like Mexico, and the only thing worse than being taken hostage in a “hostile country” is being detained in a “friendly” one. Most Americans assume that their government will be there to help them if they find themselves in trouble abroad when the reality is their government will stand by and watch from the sidelines. Franks will discuss the increasing problem of Americans getting detained abroad on specious charges, what to do about it, and how to keep it from happening to you.
About our speaker:
Jonathan Franks, Founder and President of Lucid Public Relations, is a seasoned business adviser with a background in crisis management, public affairs, and strategic communications. His work in national politics and private practice in Washington, D.C. gave him a wealth of experience in high stakes litigation (criminal and civil), political communications, and “bet-the-company situations.”
Jonathan takes great pride in his ability to respond to a communications crisis quickly, strategically, and effectively—bringing calm to otherwise chaotic situations.
Jonathan earned his bachelor’s degree in Government and Economics from Connecticut College in 2004 before handling PR for high profile criminal cases at a major Washington, D.C. law firm. In 2006, Jonathan became Staff Assistant to House of Representatives Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, overseeing a variety of communications and logistics responsibilities.
In February 2008, Jonathan relocated to Los Angeles to work at a prominent PR agency, where he gained experience managing high-profile accounts. His clients have appeared on/in Good Morning America, The Today Show, Access Hollywood, The CBS Evening News, The Los Angeles Times, and The Boston Globe, to name a few.