Bryan Strawser
Principal & Chief Executive
Bryan advises clients in a broad range of industries as they seek to prepare their organizations
for uncertainty and disruption – and make the most of emerging opportunities in their critical moments.
About Bryan
Bryan Strawser is Founder, Principal, and Chief Executive at Bryghtpath LLC, a strategic advisory firm he founded in 2014.
Bryan has more than twenty-five years of experience in the areas of crisis management, business continuity, crisis communications, and global security.
At Bryghtpath, Bryan leads a team of experts that offer strategic counsel and support to the world’s leading brands, public sector agencies, and nonprofit organizations to strategically navigate uncertainty and disruption.
Bryan previously served as Chief Security Officer & Senior Director of Global Security at the University of Phoenix and as Senior Director, Global Crisis Management, Business Continuity, and Intelligence at Target, where he built and led the retailer’s global resilience program.
Bryan has served on a number of technical committees at the American Society for Industrial Security, including committees for the Workplace Violence Prevention and Active Assailant – Prevention, Intervention, and Response Standard (2020) and the Certified Protection Professional Study Manual (2020).
Bryghtpath is the co-author of The Continuity Code: Mastering Business Resilience, and From Panic to Poise: Crisis Management in the Modern World with fellow Bryghtpath colleague Haley Olvey.
Bryan previously served as Board Member and Chair of the Private Sector Committee for the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) from 2011 – 2013 and as the Vice Chairman of the Disaster Recovery and Preparedness Committee for the Retail Industry Leaders Association.
In these roles, Bryan worked closely with FEMA to develop the Private Sector Representative position in FEMA’s Office of the Private Sector and with leaders across state and federal government, including the US Department of Homeland Security and the White House, to build stronger connections between the public and private sectors.
He was named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 2019 and elected as a member of the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House, London) in 2016.
Bryan holds multiple professional certifications in business continuity, emergency management, information security, project management, and physical security.
Education
Hamline University – School of Business
Doctor of Philosophy, Management and Public Service (expected 2028-2029)
King’s College, London – Department of War Studies
Master of Arts, International Relations & Contemporary War (with distinction)
Associateship of King’s College, AKC
University of Minnesota – Carlson School of Management
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
University of Phoenix
Bachelor of Science, Criminal Justice Administration
Harvard University
National Preparedness Leadership Initiative – Executive Program
Professional Certifications
American Society for Industrial Security
Certified Protection Professional (CPP)
Business Continuity Institute
Member, Business Continuity Institute (MBCI)
Disaster Recovery Institute International
Master Business Continuity Professional (MBCP)
Certified Business Continuity Vendor (CBCV)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
FEMA Professional Continuity Practitioner
International Association of Emergency Managers
Certified Emergency Manager (CEM)
(ISC)²
Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
Project Management Institute (PMI)
Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP)
Program Management Professional (PgMP)
Project Management Professional (PMP)
State of Minnesota – Homeland Security & Emergency Management (HSEM)
Minnesota State Certified Emergency Manager
Past Experience
King’s College, London
Editor in Chief, Strife
Managing Editor, Strife Blog
Member, Academic Board
Academic Representative, War Studies Online Postgraduates
Auburn University – Center for Cyber and Homeland Security
Senior Fellow
University of Minnesota – Humphrey School of Public Affairs
Humphrey Policy Fellow
Humphrey Policy Fellow – Advisory Board Member
University of Phoenix – Apollo Education Group
Chief Security Officer & Senior Director, Global Security
University of Minnesota – Carlson School of Management
Executive MBA Program – Advisory Board Member
National Emergency Management Association (NEMA)
Private Sector Committee Chair & Board Member
Target Corporation
Senior Director, Global Crisis Management, Business Continuity, & Intelligence
