Beyond the Curtain - Webinar Series:
FEEDING THE BEAST: How to Talk to the Media
Thursday, September 17, 2026 | Virtual Event
OVERVIEW
After every event-related disaster, the press will look for comment from industry professionals. Using actual texts and emails with reporters following the July 11 Salsa on St. Clair shooting in Toronto, you will see how to be guided by evidence while saying something more meaningful than “thoughts and prayers.”
In the registration confirmation email for this webinar, there will be links for two print articles and a podcast. On September 17, we will show you how we got there.
Steven Adelman
Attorney & Event Safety Consultant, Adelman Law Group, PLLC
| Steven Adelman is the head of Adelman Law Group, PLLC and a co-founder of the Event Safety Alliance in the U.S. He represents event industry clients with their legal issues, creates safety plans, provides crowd manager training, and serves as an event safety expert in lawsuits. Mr. Adelman led the task groups that created the American National Standards for Crowd Management, Event Security, and Parade Safety. He was a 2024 recipient of ESA Canada’s Excellence in Safety Award. He frequently speaks to the media following event-related disasters. |
MODERATOR
Aaron Billesberger
Director of Special Projects & Training, Guardteck Security Co.
  | Aaron is a nationally recognized and respected leader in security and crowd safety management, bringing over three decades of combined experience working with the Correctional Service of Canada and at over 1,200 live events. He has led security teams at some of the highest profile and complex events, including the 2007 FIFA U20 World Cup, 2010 Winter Olympics, 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, 2018 G7 Finance and Development Ministers and Central Bank Governors meetings, 2024 Grey Cup Festival, and 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup. Other events have included the BMO Marathon – Vancouver, Canada Day - Vancouver, the Great Outdoors Comedy Festival, the Festival Lawn at Deer Lake Park, and various other Live Nation festivals and stadium concerts in western Canada. Aaron currently serves on the Event Safety Alliance of Canada Board of Directors. He is the Senior Manager, Safety & Security – Vancouver for the competition venue to the last mile for the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup; a position he accepted after taking leave from his position as Senior Director of Special Projects & Training with Guardteck Security Co. As a long-standing advocate for creating safer event spaces, Aaron brings a deep commitment to collaboration, education, and evidence-based practice. He has worked extensively with multidisciplinary teams to improve safety and security through site design, operational planning, incident and emergency response and recovery across the live-events sector. As a recognized educator and speaker, he has presented at several major industry conferences, helping strengthen safety literacy and shared learning. Aaron is dedicated to advancing safety standards and fostering local, regional, national and international collaboration to build a more resilient, informed, and proactive event safety culture. |
DETAILS
Thursday, September 17, 2026 | 60 Minutes via Zoom.
A Zoom link will be emailed to all registered attendees a few days prior to the webinar.
Vancouver | 10:00 AM (PDT)
Calgary | 11:00 AM (MDT)
Winnipeg | 12:00 PM (CDT)
Toronto | 1:00 PM (EDT)
Halifax | 2:00 PM (ADT)
St. John's | 2:30 PM (NDT)
REGISTRATION
Members - Free
Non-Members - $25.00
In the registration confirmation email for this webinar, there will be links for two print articles and a podcast.
Please review these prior to this webinar.
EVENT FAQS
I am attending, but how do I access the virtual event?
All attendees will receive via email a link a to attend the virtual event. It is best to use a desktop or laptop computer to watch this webinar. Ensure that your web browser is up-to-date, you are connected to the internet (wired or wireless), and your device speakers are unmuted.
When will I receive the Webinar Link?
We will be emailing the link out closer to the date.
How can I contact the organizer with any questions?
If you have questions, please email info@esacanada.ca.
Is my registration fee transferable?
Yes, you may send an alternate. To make a change, please email info@esacanada.ca.
Event Safety Alliance Canada We bring people, organizations, and businesses together in the shared mission of making the health, wellbeing, and safety of everyone the priority at Canadian events.
Copyright © Event Safety Alliance Canada 2026 |