Thomas Fire Help
Last December, as the Thomas Fire raged, Emily leveraged her resources and connections to create a venture called Thomas Fire Help, which connects help with need on a grassroots level. Thomas Fire Help is a community-sourced online platform where survivors can quickly find what they need, from initial food and shelter to longer term needs like housing and recovery services. Thomas Fire Help played a pivotal role following the devastation of the Montecito mudslide. Emily worked tirelessly to acquire 64 volunteer pilots who would, over the course of the prolonged 101 freeway closure, provide lifesaving transport to over 117 recovery personnel; doctors; and patients with urgent medical appointments.
Originally from Colorado, Emily graduated from Cal Lutheran University with majors in Communications and German and a minor in Philosophy. She has been named one of the top 40 under 40 Business Leaders by the Pacific Coast Business Times; received Mayor Garcetti’s 2016 Small Business Recognition Award, and is the 2018 Alumni of the Year for the Ventura County Leadership Academy.
In 2011, Emily launched VISIONALITY, which strengthens and runs the business operations side of nonprofits, allowing the organizations’ internal staff and volunteers to focus on the passion and programming necessary to deliver their missions. Emily’s highly skilled team works with organizations who know they can do more and want dedicated, problem-solving experts with the resources and knowledge to propel them forward. with a mission to help organizations dream big and a commitment to transform their dreams into reality. VISIONALITY was recently named the #1 Best Place to Work by the Pacific Coast Business Times in their Small Business category. Emily is also a Board Member for the California Lutheran University Center for Nonprofit Leadership.