Sustainable Energy Speaker Series

From Response to Resilience: Lessons from Tropical Storm Helene

Tuesday, September 30 @ 4:30 pm

Location: Katherine Harper Hall, Room 17

Host: Appalachian Energy Center 

Who should attend:  Students, staff, faculty, and community members are invited to attend and join the conversation.

This is a free event to attend prior to Appalachian State University’s Community Meal at Rivers Street Café in Central Dining Hall.

This symposium brings together practitioners, municipal leaders, and nonprofit innovators to reflect on the regional response to Tropical Storm Helene and to explore strategies for building climate and disaster resilience. Panelists from the Footprint Project, the Town of Boone, Buncombe County, and Appalachian State University will share their institutions’ experiences in storm response, recovery, their role in community resilience, and lessons learned to prepare Western North Carolina for future challenges. The session will include moderated discussion and audience Q\&A.

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

Background

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.