From Response to Resilience: Lessons from Tropical Storm Helene
Date/Time: Tuesday, September 30 4:30-5:30 pm
Location: Katherine Harper Hall, Room 17
Visit the Energy Center Sustainable Energy Speaker Series page for more information.
Western North Carolina continues to recover from the devastating impacts of Tropical Storm Helene, which brought widespread flooding, infrastructure damage, and disruption across the region. While the storm tested the limits of our communities, it also revealed extraordinary examples of resilience, leadership, and collaboration. Local governments, nonprofits, and institutions stepped up to provide immediate support and to begin charting a path toward greater resilience. One year later, we reflect on our progress, and explore what it takes to build stronger, more resilient communities in the face of natural disasters.
The panel will highlight:
- Immediate response efforts — how each institution supported residents and communities during the storm’s aftermath.
- Recovery challenges and successes — lessons learned from infrastructure repair, emergency services, and community partnerships.
- Strategies for resilience — initiatives now underway to prepare for future natural disasters, with a focus on equity, sustainability, and collaboration.
Panel Participants
- Catherine Hebson, Recovery Program Manager, Footprint Project
- Jeremiah LeRoy, Deputy Recovery Lead; Deputy Recovery Lead; Director, Office of Sustainability, , Office of Sustainability, Buncombe County
- Jason Marshburn, Director Environmental Health, Safety, and Emergency Management at Appalachian State University
- George Santucci, Sustainability and Special Projects Manager, Town of Boone
Moderated by Dr. Jamie Russell, Director, Appalachian Energy Center