Resource Library

Check out our resources for disaster preparedness and recovery.

LA Fire Resources

Essential resources and support for Los Angeles fire survivors.

Los Angeles Delegation
January 27 - 31, 2025

Jennifer Gray Thompson, MPA
[email protected]

North Bay Fires (2017) Kincaid + Walbridge Fires (2019), Glass Fire (2020)

Founder & CEO, After the Fire USA; Executive Director, Rebuild NorthBay Foundation; Bipartisan Policy Center Disaster Response Reform Task Force

Subject Matter Expertise: Community Recovery, Long-Term, Federal Advocacy, Wildfire Leadership Network, Frontline Community Support, Local + Federal Government; Public Policy

Jennifer Gray Thompson, the CEO of After the Fire USA, LLC & After the Fire USA (501c3), has a remarkable journey rooted in community disaster. 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, a relatively recent chronic climate-based disaster, 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, making policy recommendations to Congress. As a nationally recognized subject matter expert (SME) in megafire recovery, she presents at several national conferences, including US Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Fannie Mae, Smart Cities, FEMA, MIT, UNC, and National VOAD. Jennifer has also been featured in local, regional, and national news outlets, including NPR’s All Things Considered, NBC News, Meet the Press, and CBS Evening News. She hosts the “How to Disaster” podcast, which amplifies best practices, survivor experiences, and mitigation measures to ensure safety.

Jennifer is a fierce federal policy advocate, helping to secure over $6B in direct tax relief for disaster survivors in 2024, and has 7 years of experience working on the Hill, working with lawmakers and agencies. Her commitment to equitable and resilient recoveries empowers wildfire communities and bridges the gap between those on the frontlines of disaster and those who create policies.

Valerie Brown

Fellow + SME, SBP + ATF Partnership

Fire Survivor, 2007 San Diego

Subject Matter Expertise: Long Term Recovery Groups + Insurance

Valerie brings over 30 years of nonprofit and grants experience, ranging from small nonprofits to a $26M organization with a portfolio of 45 programs funded by 60 government contracts and over 100 private, corporate, family, and faith-centered foundation grants. With nearly two decades of wildfire resiliency and recovery experience, Valerie is a highly respected leader in disaster recovery. She has expertise in federal and state programs and funding streams, charitable and faith-based resources, insurance, mortgage, and construction matters, and a proven ability to facilitate strong cross-functional collaboration.

Most recently, Valerie has served on the board of the Disaster Leadership Team, as Chair of San Diego County VOAD, Vice Chair of Northern California VOAD, and as Deputy Executive Director with United Policyholders. In these roles, she has supported long-term recovery through their Roadmap to Recovery® Program in Colorado, Hawaii, Florida, and California, including a complex multi-state virtual operation due to COVID-19 for the 2020 wildfires in Colorado, California, Oregon, and Washington. Valerie is a graduate of Duke University.

In her new role, Valerie will serve as a Fellow specializing in California in partnership with After The Fire USA, a nonprofit focused on community recovery after megafires. Additionally, she will support SBP's growing Fellows program as a Subject Matter Expert, contributing to the success of other Fellows across the nation.

Reva Feldman

Woolsey Fire (2018)

City Manager, Malibu (ret)

Subject Matter Expertise: Public sector leadership before, during and after disaster; City + County Management; Coastal Issues

Reva Feldman is an executive level leader with over 25 years of public sector experience working in city management and disaster preparedness, response and recovery to help ensure that local and state municipalities are prepared for emergencies and are able to respond quickly and efficiently before and after a disaster.  

Ms. Feldman first served as the chief operating officer for a state park agency and then served as city manager for the City of Malibu, CA. Her strong leadership skills, knowledge, experience, and profound dedication to local government spurred her many notable achievements, including leading Malibu through the 2018 Woolsey Fire. Ms. Feldman retired from public service in 2021 and opened a consulting firm that supports local government and the city management profession. She serves as a Senior Fellow at Portland State University entities and is a frequent speaker for public and private organizations. 

Josiah Nishita

Maui Fire (2023)

Managing Director, County of Maui

Josiah Nishita has served as the Managing Director for the County of Maui since January 1, 2024. Prior to this position, he served as the Deputy Managing Director since 2020. Nishita plays a pivotal role in the county's administration, including leading the newly established Office of Recovery, which was formed to guide recovery and building efforts following the devastating wildfire disaster of August 2023.

Before his roles in county management, Nishita served as Maui County Council Clerk and held the position of Deputy County Clerk for nearly seven years. Nishita's academic background includes a bachelorʻs degree in Sociology from George Fox University and a masterʻs degree in Business Administration from the University of Hawaiʻi Shidler College of Business.

Tim Carpenter

Director of Disaster Recovery & Resilience - ESG/Community Impact, Fannie Mae  

Tim Carpenter coordinates and supports Fannie Mae’s Single Family and Multifamily efforts around the company’s response and efforts to help communities rebuild following the many natural disaster as well as promote resiliency in all communities.  

With now over 25 years at Fannie Mae Tim has a deep knowledge of Fannie Mae and both the Single Family and Multifamily business lines. Prior to joining Fannie Mae Tim worked on Capitol Hill as Chief of Staff for a Member of Congress. He has been the campaign manager for US House & US Senate Campaigns as well as worked on 5 Presidential Campaigns. Moving from the political world to the mortgage world was an easy conversion since the outcomes are the same in both arenas; you make things happen and you make people’s lives better.  

Sidra Goldwater

Advisor, Disaster Recovery & Rebuilding, Fannie Mae  

Sidra is an Advisor with Fannie Mae’s Disaster Recovery & Rebuilding team which supports Fannie Mae’s team which supports Fannie Mae’s Single Family and Multifamily response to help communities rebuild following natural disasters including COVID-19.   

Prior to joining the Disaster Recovery & Rebuilding team Sidra was responsible for developing and implementing single family policies and strategies related to the servicing of delinquent mortgage loans that enable Fannie Mae to mitigate credit losses while preserving homeownership. This work included creation of various loan workout and property insurance requirements.  

Maddie Pennie

Sr. Manager of Development, Good360

Maddie Pennie is the Senior Manager of Development at Good360, a nonprofit dedicated to bridging the gap between corporate surplus and community needs. Since joining Good360 in 2022, Maddie has made a significant impact in disaster recovery and community resilience.

Beginning her tenure on the Disaster Recovery team as a program manager, Maddie played a key role in supporting long-term recovery efforts for disasters such as the December 2021 Tornadoes, Hurricane Ida, Hurricane Ian, and Hurricane Helene. Her collaborative work with network partners has ensured communities receive ongoing support years after disasters strike.

In her current role on the Development team, Maddie focuses on donor account management and communication, particularly during disaster responses. She is dedicated to identifying specific recovery needs, creating opportunities to assist fire-impacted areas, and fostering partnerships that drive long-term community resilience.

Maddie earned her Master of Public Health with a specialization in Public Health Preparedness from Penn State College of Medicine in 2023. Her passion for building stronger, more prepared communities is at the heart of her work, reflecting her commitment to creating sustainable recovery solutions and empowering those in need.

Jenn Kaaoush

Marshall Fire Survivor 2021 - Smoke Damage

Director, Superior Rising
Council Member, Town of Superior
Veteran (Army)

Subject Matter Expertise: Post-Disaster Community Leadership, Local Government (elected)

Jenn is a dedicated public servant and community advocate currently serving as a Town Council Member. Her journey into disaster recovery began as a private citizen, driven by a deep desire to help her neighbors in the aftermath of a catastrophic wildfire that reached her doorstep. Following the Marshall Fire in the Boulder, Colorado area, Jenn co-founded a local resident advocacy group to provide direct resources and support to her community during its recovery. After a year of impactful leadership in disaster recovery, Jenn transitioned to the policy side by successfully running for a seat on City Council, where she continues to drive systemic change.  

She has also played a pivotal role as counsel for residents and county governments in the Maui fire recovery, leveraging her expertise to aid communities in crisis. Passionate about shaping disaster recovery policy, Jenn frequently lobbies in Washington, D.C., advocating for legislation that accelerates recovery efforts and secures vital funding for disaster victims. Before her work in Colorado, Jenn served as a U.S. Diplomat with postings in Qatar (2017–2020) and Jordan (2013–2015) where she volunteered with the Syrian refugee community, supporting language learning initiatives and providing critical resources to displaced individuals.

Brad Sherwood

Tubbs Fire (2017) rebuilder, Community Leader

Assistant General Manager, Sonoma Water Agency

 

Brad Sherwood and his family are 2017 Tubbs Fire survivors.  The Sherwood family lost their home, personal possessions, including family pets, in the early morning of October 9, 2017. Sherwood is also the assistant general manager of the Sonoma County Water Agency.

Sherwood helped his community rebuild by co-founding a non-profit called the Mark West Area Community Fund, developed a block captain program to share rebuild information, and developed a home rebuild program that resulted in more than 200 of his neighbors being able to rebuild together.  His community non-profit is now building a new community park on the lot of a former preschool that did not rebuild after the Tubbs Fire. It was the vision of the block captains to rebuild stronger and build a more united community, thus the new park development project. Sherwood also assisted with improving public infrastructure in the burn zone including undergrounding power lines, converting septics to sewer, installation of new sidewalks and more.

Chris Smith

Director, Individual Assistance and Disaster Housing, IEM

Subject Matter Expertise: Senior Leader Advisor - Local, State, Federal Government Emergency Management – Disaster Recovery, Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster – Public Policy

As a career local, state and federal emergency management official, a foundational element of Chris’s working philosophy is to build community resilience, especially in the wake of disaster. A convener and collaborator, Chris focuses on engagement – involving stakeholders at each level of government and community members to build and execute programs and capabilities that mitigate against the impacts of disaster and facilitate robust recovery efforts. Chris is a staunch advocate for disaster service work, he served on the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) Board of Directors (2015-2022).

Prior to his current work in the private sector, Chris led FEMA’s Individual Assistance Division (2015 – 2022). He administered federal recovery operations in over 175 presidential disaster declarations, delivering approximately $51B in federal funding to disaster survivors to support their individual recovery efforts. Before Mr. Smith went to Washington, D.C., he served as Nevada’s Chief of Emergency Management, Homeland Security Advisor to the Governor (2011-2015) and a local emergency manager in Reno, Nevada (2005-2011). Chris is a former member of FEMA's National Advisory Council (2013-2015) where he and other members worked to improve FEMA’s disaster recovery policies. He began his professional career as an educator, serving as a middle school teacher and principal prior to his transition into public safety. Chris holds degrees (B.A., M.Ed.) from the University of Nevada and makes his home in Reno, Nevada. 

Casey Taylor

Camp Fire (2018)
Survivor : Total Loss

Community Leader + Rebuilder, Board Member: Rebuild Paradise Foundation
IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home Certified Home Founder and Superintendent, Achieve Charter Schools of Paradise  

Subject Matter Expertise: Community Leadership Pre and Post Disaster + Education

Casey is the founder and Superintendent of Achieve Charter Schools of Paradise. After the 2018 Paradise Camp Fire, Casey led her team in reopening schools temporarily in church facilities in the neighboring city of Chico. During that time, she also started building a permanent school facility in Chico “just in case” they could never return to Paradise.  In the 2021-22 school year, Casey opened Achieve Charter School of Chico at the new facility and reopened Achieve Charter School of Paradise at the original campus in Paradise.  She and her team are working to reopen Achieve Charter High School in Paradise in the coming years.  

Casey is a Paradise native committed to providing high-quality educational options to the community, especially during the rebuilding process. Casey returned home to Paradise in 2021 and has the first wildfire-prepared home in the nation.  She sits on multiple Boards, including the Rebuild Paradise Foundation, Valley Contractors Workforce Foundation, the Paradise Rotary Club, and the California Charter Schools Association. She currently supports other school leaders across the state in rebuilding schools after disasters. She is frequently asked to share Achieve’s story to inspire others and advocate for state and federal support.  

Paul Lowenthal

Division Chief - Fire Marshal, City of Santa Rosa

Subject Matter Expertise: Local Government, Resiliency + Recovery, Fire Fighting, Fire Mitigation, Infrastructure

Paul Lowenthal is the Division Chief Fire Marshal for the City of Santa Rosa Fire Department and has worked in both Fire Operations and Fire Prevention for the last 26 years. Paul has been involved in fire and disaster recovery since 2017 when he first led the Debris Task Force for the City of Santa Rosa following the Tubbs and Nuns Fires.  In 2020, Paul played a key role in coordinating Santa Rosa’s recovery task forces on behalf of the City Manager’s Office following the Glass Fire. Paul has assisted several communities across the country based on his involvement and expertise with post wildfire recovery.  Most recently, Paul has been assisting Maui County. Since September 2022, Paul has been on the island of Maui five times and has continued to support Maui County staff remotely and regularly since September 2023.  

Paul is a Board Member for Fire Safe Sonoma, the Fire Safe Council for Sonoma County. He managed the development of Santa Rosa’s Vegetation Management Program and led adoption of Santa Rosa’s new Vegetation Management Ordinance.  Paul was instrumental in developing the City’s first Community Wildfire Protection Plan and helped bring prescribed fire to within the City of Santa Rosa. Paul is also the Department’s Public Information Officer, is a member of the County’s Alert and Warning and Subcommittee and is assigned as a Public Information Officer in Santa Rosa’s Emergency Operations Center.