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
Spontaneous leader helping Turkish earthquake survivors: Go Mesut!
Here is what Mesut Bilgili had to say about his efforts to help earthquake survivors (and the benefits of getting a little encouragement from us).
Seven Questions of Disaster Management — The Evolution of US Philosophy
On the seventh day of Thanks and Giving, we give to you … seven questions of disaster management, and trace …
2021: Not an Annual Report
Thanks to Social Good Fund, our fiscal sponsor, we don’t have to prepare a formal annual report. We do, however, have to report on our accomplishments …
From our blog
Spontaneous leader helping Turkish earthquake survivors: Go Mesut!
Here is what Mesut Bilgili had to say about his efforts to help earthquake survivors (and the benefits of getting a little encouragement from us).
Seven Questions of Disaster Management — The Evolution of US Philosophy
On the seventh day of Thanks and Giving, we give to you … seven questions of disaster management, and trace …
2021: Not an Annual Report
Thanks to Social Good Fund, our fiscal sponsor, we don’t have to prepare a formal annual report. We do, however, have to report on our accomplishments …
Get involved
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.
