About us

It’s all about people

And we’re surrounded by the best.

Creative Crisis Leadership

We are a nascent nonprofit dedicated to igniting collective action and improvised leadership in crisis. Because socially resilient people and communities who help themselves in a crisis recover faster and come out better – physically, emotionally and financially.

Our vision

Wherever, whenever community crisis occurs, we want people to

  • Take action to help themselves, and not be victims.
  • Take action to help others, and not be bystanders.
  • Take collective action, and create a more robust effort.
  • Take effective collective action by improvising leadership when needed.

Our mission

We empower individuals and communities to take action and help themselves in a crisis by spreading the confidence, skills and mindsets of improvised crisis leadership.

Our organization

We are under fiscal sponsorship of the Social Good Fund, a California 501(c)(3) dedicated to providing fiscal sponsorship to projects that positively impact local communities. We plan to file for independent nonprofit status when we have sufficient resources to take on the added administrative responsibilities.

Our core team

Founder and Driving Force

Susanne Jul, PhD

Susanne‘s expertise spans research and practice ranging from disaster management to software engineering to theatre to user experience design. She is driven by twin loves of drawing clarity from confusion, and helping people to help themselves.

Founder and Driving Force

Susanne Jul, PhD

Susanne‘s expertise spans research and practice ranging from disaster management to software engineering to theatre to user experience design. She is driven by twin loves of drawing clarity from confusion, and helping people to help themselves.

Director of Programs

Garett Dworman, PhD

Garett’s career has taken him from cognitive science and AI programming, through decision theory and information technology, to user experience research and design, and now to community crisis. He is driven by a love of finding solutions to problems that people face in their lives.

Director of Programs

Garett Dworman, PhD

Garett’s career has taken him from cognitive science and AI programming, through decision theory and information technology, to user experience research and design, and now to community crisis. He is driven by a love of finding solutions to problems that people face in their lives.

Our advisors

Experience Design

Aaron Vanek

Aaron is a Partner at Spectacular Disaster Factory, where his years of experience in interactive game design, live-action roleplay, teaching, and film and video production come to full fruition. We are inspired by his generosity and tenacity as well as his passion, drive and dedication for the learning power of games.

Transcending Normal

Claus Raasted

Claus is Director of the College of Extraordinary Experiences, an inspirational speaker, master of the impossible and LARPing pioneer. We are awed to benefit from his keen ability to reveal the fantastic in the mundane, his understanding of what excites people, and his fervent generosity.

Behavioral Economics & Games

Gary Milante, PhD

Gary is a Programme Director at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute and founder of Allophus. His expertise spreads across economics, peace research, adaptive leadership and game design. We are delighted to benefit from his playfulness and ability to translate complex social economics into fun.

Business and Organizational Development

Leland Franklin

Leland is the founder and principal of the executive coaching and leadership development firm, Kenshō Leadership, and is pursuing an MBA at UC Berkeley. We are grateful to benefit from his business experience, leadership acumen, keen insightfulness, deep empathy, and warm sense of humor.​

Storytelling and Organizational Growth

Lindsay Yarbrough Burr

Lindsay is the CEO of Yarbrough Group. She holds a Masters degree in conflict analysis and resolution, and has extensive experience working in multiple sectors globally. We are excited to benefit from her no-nonsense discipline, unrelenting pursuit of clarity, and joyous sense of fun.

Disaster Management

Luke Beckman

Luke is Division Disaster State Relations Director for the Pacific Division of the American Red Cross. He has experience from numerous disasters, and in all phases of disaster management. We are thankful to benefit from his practical forward thinking, skills in bringing people together, and radiant friendliness.

Crisis Management and Experiential Learning

Thomas Lahnthaler

Thomas Lahnthaler is a co-founder of the consulting business, The Crisis Compass, helping businesses develop organizational resilience. We are thrilled to benefit from his extensive experience in international crisis management and facilitation, perceptive curiosity, gentle creativity, and boundless enthusiasm.

Social and Behavioral Research

Zeno Franco, PhD

Zeno is a professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin, with expertise in research related to clinical psychology, community engagement, crisis response, and heroic action. We are elated to benefit from his clear thinking, dedication to reliable research, compassion, and humble wit.​

From our blog

8448 feet for Resilience!

8448 feet for Resilience!

Help to raise $8448 to empower communities, and support Susanne in her goal to swim across the Golden Gate! Embrace the Challenge. Empower...

read more

From our blog

8448 feet for Resilience!

8448 feet for Resilience!

Help to raise $8448 to empower communities, and support Susanne in her goal to swim across the Golden Gate! Embrace the Challenge. Empower...

read more

Volunteer

Grant Writer

Help us to find and apply for grants, so we can turn a generous world into a resilient one.

Details
START

As soon as possible

DURATION

Occasional or ongoing

DESCRIPTION

We need to secure funding for the development and testing of our new wildfire training experience. We are aiming for grants in the $5K-$100K range, focusing on corporate and community-based funders with interests in community resilience and/or wildfire preparedness.

Volunteer

Fundraising Strategist

Help us develop and implement our first strategic fundraising plan so we can grow and create a resilient world.

Details
START

As soon as possible

DURATION

3-6 months

DESCRIPTION

We need someone with fundraising and strategic planning experience to get us started and put us on a solid footing. For our Wildfire Project and other efforts we are looking for funding from a wide variety of sources, including foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, and individual donations.