This month marks the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina—one of the most devastating natural disasters in U.S. history. When the storm struck the Gulf Coast in August 2005, Bonnie Canal was among the many New Orleanians forced to make an impossible decision: stay or evacuate.  

In this deeply personal episode, Bonnie reflects on the chaos of evacuation, the shock of returning to a city in ruins, and the painful work of rebuilding a community.  Katrina exposed deep flaws in emergency communication, disaster response, and systemic preparedness that continue to inform Bonnie’s career. 

Today, Bonnie is a nationally recognized leader in disaster preparedness, community resilience, and business continuity. She currently serves as Tulane University’s Manager of Business Continuity. She’s also a certified FEMA instructor, a Disaster Recovery International (DRI) trainer, and a recipient of multiple industry honors. 

Bonnie’s powerful story reminds business leaders to anticipate the unexpected, ask the questions nobody else is asking, and lead with clarity and compassion in times of crisis. 

The Employee Safety Podcast is hosted by Peter Steinfeld, SVP of Safety Solutions at AlertMedia. 

Get every episode delivered straight to your inbox by subscribing at https://www.alertmedia.com/podcast/.