How to Disaster

Leading and Healing After Fire explores the personal and professional toll of leadership in post-disaster recovery and the importance of sustaining the well-being of those who step into these challenging roles. Moderated by Jolie Wills, a cognitive scientist and disaster recovery expert, the panel features Clara Bergen, Amy Bernstein, and Adrienne Heinz—each sharing deeply personal stories and ins...

In this powerful talk, a Sonoma County native and Kaiser Permanente leader shares how the organization invested nearly $24 million in post-disaster recovery efforts after the Tubbs Fire. Through partnerships with 65 nonprofits, the initiative focused on four pillars—economic security, mental health and resilience, housing stability, and community infrastructure. From funding the first health equit...

This powerful video presentation highlights the inspiring story of Rogue Food Unites (RFU) — a grassroots organization born from the 2020 Oregon wildfires that transformed crisis response through the power of food and community. From serving hot meals during disaster recovery to building sustainable food systems that support local farmers, RFU has created a compassionate model of resilience, equit...

In this heartfelt and insightful panel, longtime mortgage banker and moderator Tim Carpenter leads a discussion with Lori Gay President & CEO, Neighborhood Housing Services of Los Angeles, and Sidra Goldwater Advisor, Disaster Recovery & Rebuilding, Fannie Mae. Together, they explore the human and financial dimensions of post-disaster recovery—from restoring hope to rebuilding homes and ad...

Moderator Casey Taylor leads a thoughtful discussion with panelists Jessica Pyska, J. Lopez, Laura Blaul, and Karl Flippinger on leadership, collaboration, and the power of partnerships in community resilience. Together, they share real-world experiences from across sectors—government, education, and emergency management—highlighting lessons learned, challenges faced, and strategies that strengthe...

11 The Heart of Leadership in Disasters: Honest Lessons from Years on the Frontline   In this inspiring talk, Katie Simmons, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer of Butte County, shares insights on the power of friendship, trust, and human connection in community recovery. Drawing from real experiences, she explores how relationships and social capital form the invisible infrastructure that sustain...

Day two of the 2025 After the Fire Leadership Summit opens with warm remarks from Jennifer Gray Thompson, emphasizing honesty, resilience, and the daily dedication of community leaders in wildfire recovery. She introduces keynote speaker Katie Simmons, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Butte County, who shares heartfelt insights on the realities, challenges, and hope found in long-term disas...

The Power of Connection: Friendship and Trust in Recovery In this heartfelt closing panel, two leaders—John Smith, Administrator of Maui's Office of Recovery, and Paul, Division Chief Fire Marshal from Santa Rosa—share how tragedy sparked an enduring partnership. Moderated by Lorez Bailey, a Sonoma County recovery leader, the conversation explores the human side of disaster recovery: the frien...

Australian resilience expert Renae Hanvin, Founder and CEO of Resilient Ready, shares powerful insights on how "invisible infrastructure"—the social connections that bind communities—plays a crucial role in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. Speaking at an international forum, she explores how social capital—the trust, networks, and coordination among people—builds true resilie...

In this panel on Funding and Philanthropy in Disaster Recovery, leaders from Napa Valley Community Foundation, Hawaii Community Foundation, and Ballmer Group discuss lessons learned from disaster response across California and Hawaii. Julia DeNatale, Keanu Lau Hee, and Nina Revoyr share how philanthropy can evolve to meet long-term community needs, support nonprofits under strain, and adapt fundin...

In this inspiring panel on Community-Led Resilience, Kasey Earnest, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Malibu, moderates a powerful conversation with Nicole Huguenin, a generosity entrepreneur from Maui, and architect David Hertz of the LA County Fire Brigade. Together, they share how grassroots care networks, community brigades, and local leadership are transforming disaster response and recover...

At the 2025 Wildfire Leadership Summit, Jennifer Gray Thompson of After the Fire USA shared the powerful story behind passing the bipartisan Disaster Relief Tax Bill (HR 5863) — a landmark victory for fire survivors across the nation. Featuring messages from Congressman Mike Thompson (Napa) and Congressman Doug LaMalfa (Butte County), this session highlights how relentless advocacy, unity, and per...

Architects and community leaders from Paradise and Altadena share how they're helping wildfire survivors rebuild with resilience, affordability, and heart. Jen Goodlin of Rebuild Paradise Foundation, Alex Athenson of the Foothill Catalog Foundation, and Chris Corbett of the Altadena Collective discuss innovative home design programs, pre-approved building plans, and community-led recovery effo...

Miguel Santana, CEO of the California Community Foundation, shares how the organization mobilized rapid relief and long-term recovery efforts following devastating wildfires across Los Angeles. With over a century of service and a 25-year history in wildfire response, the foundation raised $60 million in just 30 days—providing direct support to hundreds of nonprofits and survivors. Santana emphasi...

In this inspiring address, Jennifer Gray Thompson highlights the power of resilience, leadership, and community in the aftermath of wildfires. She honors fire survivors, leaders, and partners from across the country—acknowledging their courage, hard work, and dedication to recovery. From Maui to Los Angeles, Jennifer reminds everyone that rebuilding takes heart, collaboration, and innovation—and t...

A moving opening from the 2025 After the Fire gathering featuring singer-songwriter and Eaton community member Aloe Blacc, joined by Kainoa Horcjo, a Cultural Leader from Maui. Together, they share songs, stories, and reflections on the power of Hawaiian values—Aloha, Ohana, and Kuleana—in guiding recovery and connection after loss. Through heartfelt music and unity, they remind us that healing an...

2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT Episode Description:  "We are not hopeless against mega-fires. We are not hopeless against the era of climate change. We can do these things together because we are daring to hope and to help each other." —Jennifer Gray Thompson   As we bring this transformative event to a close, we are filled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Each and every one of yo...

2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT   Episode Description:  "Aloha does not mean hello and goodbye. Aloha has a much deeper meaning of love and respect. Hello to the return of our Indigenous kupuna knowledge and goodbye to the profit-making capitalistic colonization types of thinking that put profit over people." —Ku'uleinani Maunupau   Colonization has disrupted the deep connection betwee...

2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT   Episode Description:  "We're not powerless. We are not powerless against wildfire. We know what we need to do." —Amanda West "I try not to use the word remove. Just move them. You can have plants. You can have a beautiful landscape. We want that five feet for the fire break." —Mark Vaughn   Wildfires pose a serious threat to homes and communiti...

2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT   Episode Description:   "As the recovery process continues, you have to continue to adapt." —Emily Nilsen Disaster recovery is a complex challenge, but innovative lenders are stepping up to the plate. Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) like Impact Development Fund are providing flexible financing, coordinating resources, and creating tailo...

2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT   Episode Description:  "Home ownership is about stability. Homeownership is about building wealth. Homeownership is about families. But if you don't have a clear title, you don't know if that stability is going to be there." —Tim Carpenter   Disaster strikes, but for some, the real battle is just beginning. Millions of homes across the US are caught...

2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT   Episode Description:  "How you frame your argument is how you get them to listen." —Jeff Okrepkie   "We're willing to help anybody out that is going through this now or in the future." —Steve Crowder    "There's no playbook when it comes to a wildfire… Be ready, because you know this is going to impact you at some point, maybe not direc...

2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT   Episode Description:  This recovery is slow, it's painful, and it's costly. We need patience, and aloha, and support because we're all in this together."  —Angus McKelvey   "We have a lot of challenges moving forward, and it's figuring out the strategy of how we're going to approach it. And once you get that strategy, you have to figure...

2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT   Episode Description:  "Trust is so important to building a community of practice. And part of that trust comes from understanding where people are and where they stand." —Michael McCormick   "Once the scene is stabilized and we start to clean things up, and then there comes a point where we start rebuilding things… and that's when the long-term rec...

2024 WILDFIRE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT   Episode Description:  "It's not enough just to give, you have to always receive as well with the same grace and gratitude and aloha." —Jennifer Gray Thompson   "Aloha is boundless, and we know that Aloha reaches all shores and all states. Even in the most trying of times together, we are one team."  —Mahina Martin   Welcome to the final day of...