Closing Remarks

In this heartfelt closing session of the Wildfire Leadership Summit, Jennifer Gray Thompson reflects on the journey from disaster to recovery. She shares the powerful story of how communities across California, Oregon, and Hawaii have rebuilt after devastating wildfires—from Santa Rosa and Paradise to Greenville and Lahaina. With gratitude for her dedicated team, partners, and community leaders, Jennifer honors the progress made, the resilience of survivors, and the unbreakable spirit that drives recovery. A moving reminder that rebuilding is possible—together.

Jennifer Gray Thompson
Jennifer Gray Thompson, MPA, is the founder and CEO of After the Fire USA (501c3). She graduated from Dominican University and earned a Master of Public Administration from the University of Southern California’s Price School of Public Policy. In 2017, after devastating fires in San Francisco’s North Bay, she became the Executive Director of Rebuild NorthBay Foundation (RNBF), a 501c3 formed to help the region rebuild. In response to the Era of Megafires, RNBF created After the Fire USA in 2020. Gray Thompson was named to Forbes’ 50 over 50 IMPACT List in 2022 and appointed to the Bipartisan Policy Center Disaster Response Reform Task Force in 2023. As a nationally recognized subject matter expert (SME) in megafire recovery, she presents at several national conferences and has testified in front of the US Senate on disaster block grant funds. Jennifer has been featured in local, regional, and national news outlets, including Washington Post, Reuters, New York Times, Bloomberg, Wall Street Journal, NPR’s All Things Considered, NBC News, Meet the Press, CBS Evening News, and BBC World News. She has published over 70 episodes of the “How to Disaster” podcast. Over the past 7+ years, Jennifer has walked into 20 communities across 4 states affected by megafires, bringing attention to the challenges and resilience of these areas. Her organization specifically coaches leaders in megafire communities on how to navigate recovery and stays for the long-term. After the Fire USA convenes the nation’s most comprehensive wildfire leadership summit annually, inviting top leaders to share best practices. She is a powerful advocate in Washington DC, playing a pivotal role in bringing over $6B of relief for disaster-affected communities in 2024. Under Gray Thompson’s leadership, After the Fire USA is the leading policy advocate on the Hill for megafire issues. Her commitment to equitable and resilient recoveries empowers wildfire communities, bridging the gap between those on the frontlines of disaster and those who create policies.