AlertMedia Appoints Global Security Leader Cheryl Steele to Board of Directors

Security industry veteran to help support AlertMedia's expansion into the enterprise as leading brands invest in employee safety

AlertMedia, the world’s leading threat intelligence and emergency communication provider, today announced that Cheryl Steele has joined its board of directors. Steele brings a depth of experience working in physical security, enterprise resilience and employee safety to her role on AlertMedia’s board. Steele will help guide the company’s strategic growth as it continues to deliver best-in-class solutions and exceptional customer service as the leader in emergency communication software.

Steele is the Vice President of Global Security & Resiliency (Chief Security Officer) at Starbucks Coffee Company, where she oversees safety and security operations, including executive protection, business continuity, risk intelligence, and crisis management strategy. She serves as the subject matter expert on security and risk mitigation best practices pertaining to Starbucks’ retail, non-retail, and manufacturing and distribution locations, prioritizing the safety and continuity of Starbucks’ global operations and workforce across its more than 30,000 retail locations in over 80 markets around the world.

Prior to joining Starbucks, Steele held several executive management roles spanning both the private and public sector, including leadership positions at FleishmanHillard, an international communications firm, and Booz Allen Hamilton, a global professional services company. During her tenure at Booz Allen, Steele led the firm’s work supporting U.S. Department of State priorities, which included the establishment of the Secretary of State’s Office of Global Partnership Initiatives and the launch of the Global Counterterrorism Forum. Earlier in her career, she served as a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State where, for more than seven years, she tracked and provided intelligence and analysis on a wide range of geopolitical issues impacting the Middle East.

“Our success as a company is dependent upon our ability to help our customers save lives and improve business outcomes,” said Brian Cruver, CEO and Founder at AlertMedia. “Delivering the best possible product and support to the companies we serve starts with having the deepest possible understanding of their objectives and needs. Cheryl’s extensive experience leading global organizations through critical events will be invaluable as we continue to expand our offering and add value for our customers.”

Steele’s appointment to the AlertMedia board was sourced through Vista Equity Partner’s independent board program, which leverages the firm’s network to source qualified board candidates for its portfolio companies, amongst other activities. Following Vista’s strategic growth investment in AlertMedia in March 2021, the company continued to experience record growth and now supports more than 3,000 organizations worldwide. In 2022, the company will continue to expand its core offering while moving into new markets so that more organizations can benefit from staying informed and connected during emergencies.

“The goal of keeping people safe drives my work every day. Separating noise from actionable insight is critical in our information-saturated world, and it’s one of the primary reasons behind my decision to join AlertMedia’s board,” said Steele. “The company’s mission and commitment to helping its customers during high-stakes situations is necessary in today’s environment of increasing and interconnected threats. I’m looking forward to helping AlertMedia accelerate its growth by bringing the perspective of the security professional to the board, informing how it approaches the market with its innovative approach to safety.”

Steele also serves on the Extended Executive Board of the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) and is a member of the International Security Management Association (ISMA). She is a member of the Board of Trustees of the World Affairs Council, Seattle. Steele earned her Master of Arts degree in Political Science from Columbia University in the City of New York and her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Economics from Hobart & William Smith Colleges.

For more information, visit the AlertMedia website or request a demo.

About AlertMedia

AlertMedia is the world’s leading emergency communication provider. Our award-winning, two-way multichannel messaging system and threat intelligence help organizations protect their business and people through all phases of an emergency. AlertMedia supports critical communication for thousands of leading businesses—including DHL, JetBlue, Coca-Cola Bottling, and Walmart—in more than 130 countries. For more information, visit www.alertmedia.com.

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