Testimonial
At Cultural Risk Associates, we’re proud to partner with cultural institutions, museums, archives, and heritage organizations dedicated to preserving our shared history. Our clients trust us to help them protect their collections, strengthen compliance, and build resilient security strategies.
Below, you’ll find feedback from some of the institutions and professionals we’ve had the privilege to serve. Their experiences reflect our commitment to excellence, collaboration, and safeguarding cultural property for future generations.
Trusted by Cultural Institutions
Emily B. Kunchala
Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer
Doug Beaver and the team at Cultural Risk Associates were exceptional partners at a critical time for our organization. On very short notice, they completed a full review of our security systems and produced a comprehensive, thoughtful report in an impressively short timeframe…
Their work also extended to a review of our IT systems and communications, as well as benchmarking against similar organizations, which gave us valuable context and confidence in the recommendations provided.
Doug brought in supplemental team members who were highly qualified, professional, and easy to work with. He also provided important support as we developed a new Director of Safety and Emergency Management role, including reviewing the job description and participating in finalist interviews to help ensure we selected a well-qualified candidate.
Before the new position was in place, Doug continued to provide practical ad hoc assistance, including reviewing communications and proposed changes. Throughout the engagement, he was responsive, generous with his expertise, and consistently focused on helping us strengthen our safety, security, and emergency management capabilities.
Overall, Doug was wonderful to work with, and I would highly recommend him and Cultural Risk Associates to organizations seeking experienced, practical, and trusted guidance.”
— Emily B. Kunchala
Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer
American Chemical Society
Lori Brubaker Smith
Director of Special Events & Industry Relations
Doug Beaver is an exceptional collaborator, trusted security professional, and highly effective manager of security operations and staffing. Throughout his 10 year tenure as the museums Security Director, he consistently demonstrated professionalism, expertise, and an exceptional depth of knowledge in all aspects of security management. We greatly appreciate his innovative expertise in keeping our organization safe, informed, and aligned with current security protocols and procedures. Doug’s leadership and commitment have made him an invaluable partner. I would highly recommend him as an integral security partner.
Helen Chason
Director The Kreeger Museum
Working with Doug Beaver and Cultural Risk Associates was an excellent experience and I recommend them without reservations. In the initial project, Cultural Risk Associates conducted a limited security risk assessment focused on guard operations, visitor interactions and awareness and protection and preservation of our collection. In a follow-on project, we engaged them to review and update our security SOP/Guidelines to meet current AAM and ASIS International standards. In addition, Doug designed an outstanding video training module for onboarding new security team members.
Steve B, Security Director
The Phillips Collection
Working with Doug Beaver, owner of Cultural Risk Associates, was an outstanding experience. Their expertise in museum security assessments provided us with a clear, practical understanding of our vulnerabilities and strengths. The final report was thorough, actionable, and tailored specifically to our institution. Even more valuable were the mitigation strategies—balanced, cost-effective, and designed with our unique mission and visitor experience in mind. Thanks to their guidance, we feel more confident in our ability to protect our collection, staff, and visitors. I highly recommend Cultural Risk Associates to any cultural organization seeking professional, reliable, and forward-thinking security consulting
Sandra Vicchio
Principal, Sandra Vicchio & Associates, LLC
I had the pleasure of working with Doug Beaver for the renovation of the National Museum of Women in the Arts, completed in 2023. Doug was Head of Security, and I served as Lead/Design Architect. I appreciate working with clients who are collaborative, knowledgeable, and experienced. Doug fills all of these criteria. From the moment Doug joined the team, I felt confident that the end result for security design would serve the museum well. He brought not only sensitivity to the program, operations, occupants, and aesthetics of this significant cultural facility, but also hard knowledge of what and how things can go wrong from his prior experience in law enforcement. Doug is able to communicate clearly across disciplines, anticipate coordination challenges, and ensure that security considerations are integrated early — preventing costly redesigns and delays. Doug brings strategic insight, practical implementation experience, and the leadership presence required for complex, high-profile cultural developments. I offer my strongest endorsement of Doug Beaver.
Laura S.
Security Director
We engaged Cultural Risk Associates to audit our emergency preparedness and response plans. Their recommendations have elevated our institution’s resilience and readiness. Their professionalism and expertise in cultural property protection set them apart.