Spotlight: New BCI USA Chapter Committee Members
The BCI is pleased to welcome three new committee members to the USA Chapter: Maria Silveira, Brendan Monahan CBCP MBCI and Dwight Garcia.
Maria Silveira
Maria Silveira is a risk management and resilience expert with extensive experience in business continuity and crisis management in the financial services sector. A seasoned specialist with a comprehensive background in designing and executing strategies to minimize operational risk, her subject matter expertise has fostered a culture of preparedness across diverse teams and environments.
What motivated you to take on this role for this Chapter?
With my passion for advancing existing best practices, leading the US Chapter would provide an excellent platform to contribute my expertise, learn from fellow professionals, and further promote resilience within the financial services sector. I’m looking forward to actively engaging in initiatives that enhance the collective capacity of the BCI community.
How will the Chapter enhance the resilience and business continuity community in your area?
Active outreach and engagement with industry leaders and other partners could provide a significant opportunity to advocate for and advance the BCI’s mission of enhancing resilience in regional chapters.
What do you consider the key challenges facing your region today are, and how might the Chapter address them?
Recent disruptive events have highlighted the underinvestment and planning gaps within institutions when it comes to BCM. The tendency to prioritize short-term operational needs over long-term resilience investments continue to foster a reactive rather than proactive approach.
What are your long-term goals for the Chapter?
To contribute to tangible measures which will support bringing resilience to the forefront of strategic decision making, and advocate for actionable packages that institutions can leverage to fast-track implementation of core business continuity planning.
Brendan Monahan CBCP MBCI
Brendan Monahan leads US Crisis Management & Resilience at Novartis Pharmaceuticals, having previously worked in organizational resilience across the energy, utilities, and life
sciences sectors. Earlier in his career he worked for the Intelligence Bureau at the NJ Office of Homeland Security, focused mainly on strategic intelligence and integrating intel and emergency management. His work has focused on equipping enterprises to anticipate disruption, command immediate circumstances, and recover with strategic clarity. He is also the author of ‘Strategic Corporate Crisis Management: Building an Unconquerable Organization’ and a frequent contributor to professional journals and conferences.
What motivated you to take on the committee role for this Chapter?
I was motivated by the chance to give back to the profession that has shaped my career. This role offers a platform to share practical experience, support the growth of peers at all stages, and help strengthen the collective voice of resilience professionals in the U.S. The Chapter is an ideal platform to explore ideas in action, and in a way that can lead to meaningful change.
How will the Chapter enhance the resilience and business continuity community in your area?
The Chapter can serve as a hub for collaboration and shared learning in a trusted, proven manner. By connecting practitioners, we can highlight both the foundational importance of resilience in operations and its growing role as a driver of innovation, trust, and long-term organizational strength.
In your opinion, what are the key challenges facing your region today and how might the Chapter address them?
Organizations in the U.S. face a wide spectrum of challenges — from rapidly evolving cyber risks to increasingly complex supply chains and rising stakeholder expectations. The Chapter can help members navigate this environment by curating actionable insights, promoting dialogue, and showcasing approaches that turn these challenges into opportunities for growth and leadership.
What are your long-term goals for the Chapter?
I would like to see the Chapter recognized as a trusted partner for professionals and enterprises alike. Long-term, my goal is to help cultivate a community that not only advances individual careers but also elevates resilience as a defining characteristic of organizations in the US.
Dwight Garcia
Dwight Garcia is a proven leader in safety in security with 15+ years of experience protecting people, facilities and assets in North America in corporate and educational environments. He is passionate about creating a safe, disruption-free environment that empowers learning, growth and continuous education. He is adept in designing and implementing preventative
security and safety measures, managing emergency response, crisis management and business continuity, and engaging with government agencies and local law enforcement to safeguard communities. He is also known for building high-performance teams and driving a culture of vigilance and continuous improvement.
What motivated you to take on the committee role for this Chapter?
I was motivated to take on this role for this Chapter because I was inspired by attending fireside chats before being selected as a committee member. The fireside chats, combined with the tools and resources on the BCI website, sparked my desire and interest to develop a greater network of business continuity professionals so that I can be part of the teaching and educational opportunities with a diverse group of individuals from all backgrounds while raising the awareness of surrounding communities and potential future members of the BCI.
How will the Chapter enhance the resilience and business continuity community in your area?
The chapter will enhance the resilience and business continuity in my area by me participating in meetings, projects, webinars that will lead to me promoting awareness at an elevated level, primarily because of my ability to be a student in the profession.
In your opinion, what are the key challenges facing your region today and how might the Chapter address them?
The key challenges facing my region today are natural disasters, infrastructure dependence, and cybersecurity threats. The chapter might help me address them because I will be able to lean on the various levels of experience in the membership, and I expect to enhance my current strategy appropriately. Being transparent about the challenges I am facing will allow members to support my efforts.
What are your long-term goals for the Chapter?
My long-term goals for the Chapter are to help it grow by contributing to the strengthening and development of current and future tools and resources that will attract individuals and encourage industry professionals to notice the benefits of seeking BCM expertise to improve their overall program and through governance development.
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About the author
Brian Runciman
Content Manager, The BCI
