How to Disaster

About How to Disaster

How to Disaster is a podcast for people navigating the aftermath of disaster — and for the leaders, helpers, and decision-makers working to support them. Hosted by Jennifer Gray Thompson, CEO of After the Fire USA, the show makes disaster recovery clearer, more human, and less overwhelming. Each episode helps listeners understand what happens after the headlines fade: how recovery systems work, why decisions matter, what communities need, and how people find their way forward. Through thoughtful conversations with survivors, practitioners, policymakers, storytellers, and community leaders, How to Disaster translates complex issues into grounded, accessible insight. Alongside Jennifer’s conversations, wildfire survivor, Kim Marshall, brings listeners closer to the lived reality of recovery through on-the-ground conversations with people impacted by disaster. The show does not sensationalize crisis or debate climate politics. Instead, it offers clarity, context, and connection for people living through disaster and those trying to help. If you are recovering, supporting someone who is, or trying to better understand how disaster reshapes lives and communities, this podcast is here to help you feel less alone and understand what comes next.

Publisher

Jennifer Gray Thompson

Category

news · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

1 Mar 2021

Latest episode

16 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

187 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   16 Oct 2026

   18. The Full-Time Job Nobody Expects After Disaster

   Disaster recovery does not end when the cameras leave or rebuilding begins. Jennifer Gray Thompson looks at the role disaster case managers play in helping survivors navigate FEMA, insurance, housing, loans, benefits, and the many systems that can quickly turn recovery into a full-time job. She also discusses the recent uncertainty around disaster case management funding in Los Angeles, and why disruptions in that support can add unnecessary stress for people already carrying so much. The episode explores the idea of “soft infrastructure,” the relationships, services, and human support that help communities recover alongside roads, homes, and utilities. It is a reminder that recovery is not only about rebuilding what was lost, but making sure people have help finding their way through what comes next. Resources: How to Disaster (https://afterthefireusa.org/how-to-disaster/) Learn more about After the Fire USA (https://afterthefireusa.org/) After the Fire USA Resource Library (https://afterthefireusa.org/resource-library/) Connect with Jennifer Gray Thompson on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-gray-thompson-mpa-65305328/) Produced by (http://novapodcasting.com)NOVA (http://novapodcasting.com)

2. 

   4 Sept 2026

   17. The Little Things That Help a Community Recover with Mark Pestrella

   Los Angeles County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella joins Jennifer Gray Thompson to talk about what disaster recovery looks like from inside one of the country’s largest and most complex public systems. Drawing from both his professional role and his own experience of being displaced by fire, Mark explains why rebuilding depends on far more than permits and infrastructure. They discuss trust, coordination, community voice, mental health, and the small signs of normalcy that can matter deeply after disaster. The conversation offers a closer look at how public servants can help create more certainty while still giving communities agency over what comes next. Resources: How to Disaster (https://afterthefireusa.org/how-to-disaster/) Learn more about After the Fire USA (https://afterthefireusa.org/) After the Fire USA Resource Library (https://afterthefireusa.org/resource-library/) Connect with Jennifer Gray Thompson on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-gray-thompson-mpa-65305328/) Produced by (http://novapodcasting.com)NOVA (http://novapodcasting.com)

3. 

   28 Aug 2026

   16. From Fire Survivor to Recovery Leader: Paul Lowenthal on the Lessons Communities Carry Forward

   Paul Lowenthal has spent years responding to wildfire from both sides: as a fire service professional and as someone who lost his own home in the 2017 Tubbs Fire. In this conversation, he and Jennifer Gray Thompson look at what Santa Rosa learned while rebuilding, why experienced recovery leaders matter, and how those lessons have been carried into communities from Maui to Los Angeles. They also talk about the relationships behind effective mutual aid, the importance of preparing new leaders, and what it means to show up for another community with both technical knowledge and lived experience. Resources: How to Disaster (https://afterthefireusa.org/how-to-disaster/) Learn more about After the Fire USA (https://afterthefireusa.org/) After the Fire USA Resource Library (https://afterthefireusa.org/resource-library/) The City of Santa Rosa (https://www.srcity.org/m/directory/employee?eid=725) Connect with Jennifer Gray Thompson on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-gray-thompson-mpa-65305328/) Produced by (http://novapodcasting.com)NOVA (http://novapodcasting.com)

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Contact How to Disaster

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.