At the closing session of the 2025 Luskin Summit, focussing this year on equitable recovery and resilience, leaders from prominent philanthropic organizations joined grassroots advocates and community members to call for a long-term, coordinated and people-centered approach to disaster recovery in the wake of January’s devastating wildfires in the Palisades and Altadena.
While government funding and emergency services remain critical, panelists emphasized that the path forward must include the lived experiences of those directly impacted. From mental health trauma and insurance obstacles to the urgent need for affordable housing and rebuilding support, the challenges facing fire survivors require collaboration across sectors and sustained investment well beyond the immediate crisis.
“We all remember those 10 days when our eyes were glued to our phones, wondering if the fire was coming our way,” said Peter Laugharn, president and CEO of the Hilton Foundation. “This isn’t going to be our last rodeo. What matters now is building systems that are ready for the next time.”
The Hilton Foundation, which has funded disaster relief globally for nearly two decades, pledged support to local efforts while urging the integration of wildfire recovery with homelessness and housing affordability strategies. “These are braided crises,” Laugharn said, adding “We must ensure the rebuilding effort amplifies, rather than competes with, ongoing work to house the unhoused.”
Other panelists echoed the importance of viewing recovery as more than physical reconstruction. Nina Revoyr, Executive Director for Los Angeles & National Public Safety at the Ballmer Group, said the trauma experienced by children and families must be central to the rebuilding process. “Kids had to literally run for their lives,” she said. “We need culturally appropriate mental health resources, especially for youth and a workforce prepared for the rebuilding ahead.”
Revoyr noted that while her own home survived, many close friends lost theirs. “It’s not about choosing between housing, education, or trauma response,” she said, adding, “It’s about weaving this tragedy into the work we were already doing.”
Andrew King, who begins work next month with the Department of Angels, shared his personal story of losing his home in the fire. In the days that followed, he became a block captain, guiding neighbors through a maze of FEMA paperwork, insurance claims and housing aid.
“I want you to imagine what it’s like to lose everything and then be handed a folder with 35 contacts and told to figure it out,” he said. “We need trusted people on the ground who can help navigate the chaos.”
King described the Department of Angels’ mission to reach 100 percent of those impacted by the fires. “This is about ensuring the recovery is done with us, not to us,” he said. “It’s about transparency, inclusion and action.”
Jennifer DeVoll, CEO of the Pasadena Community Foundation, announced the formation of the Altadena Builds Back Foundation, a new subsidiary focused solely on long-term recovery in Altadena, one of the communities hardest hit.
“People need time to process, but time is also the enemy of cost,” DeVoll said. “Some haven’t even filed for assistance yet and the deadlines are already passing.”
The panelists called for more flexibility from funders and government agencies. Several emphasized that recovery efforts should not rely on repeated surveys or one-size-fits-all approaches. “Let’s not keep asking the same questions without doing something with the answers,” King said.
The summit also addressed the need to strengthen coordination between city and county agencies, reduce red tape and embrace grassroots groups that have emerged as lifelines during the crisis. Larry Baines of PaliStrong, an all-volunteer group providing daily updates and support to fire survivors, asked how small local organizations could better access funding and institutional support.
“We’ve been working nonstop for nearly 100 days,” he said. “Every day brings something new. But we need fiscal help to keep going.”
Revoyr responded by praising such efforts as “the worst club with the best people,” a phrase King said resonated deeply with his own experience. “The people who have stepped up are extraordinary,” he said.
Looking ahead, panelists urged UCLA and other academic institutions to play a larger role in both analyzing and shaping the region’s recovery. “Train future leaders to humanize their work,” King said. “And use your research to hold us all accountable.”
As the summit drew to a close, attendees were reminded that recovery will be measured not only in dollars or homes rebuilt, but in how effectively public, private and philanthropic sectors can unite behind a common cause.
“We’re not just talking about what went wrong,” moderator Jacqueline Waggoner said in her closing remarks. “We’re talking about how to move forward, smarter, stronger and more united.”
Leaders from prominent philanthropic organizations say we must rebuild smarter and stronger, while supporting everyone who has suffered.
CREDIT: Scott Snowden
