Speaker: Melanie Davis-Jones – After a disaster, attention goes to immediate relief yet long-term recovery takes years. In NC, 3 major hurricanes in 2 years mean many are now in a continual process of recovery. Post-disaster donations cease when media coverage stops (about 1 month later) so it is critical that funding goes where it’s most needed.
Funders and NGOs seek county-by-county data to aid recovery. Either it doesn’t exist or the information is quickly outdated. Tech could be the superhero of disaster-recovery efforts here in NC, nationally and globally with a solution for digital, real-time access to needs on a county (or even a community) level.
Session would include a reverse pitch style presentation — 10 minutes to set up the issues related to disaster recovery, with a focus on Hurricane Florence; 35 minutes for teams to work on solutions; 15 minutes to present ideas.
As the frequency and severity of disasters increase worldwide, tools to help rebuild lives quicker will be transformational.

Melanie Davis-Jones
Melanie Davis-Jones is the Director of Marketing & Communications with the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, a national nonprofit based in Washington DC, focused on supporting medium to long-term recovery after U.S. and global disasters. Davis-Jones is based in Raleigh, NC where she served as Chief Strategy Officer for United Way of the Greater Triangle. She designed and led its innovation challenges, centered on bringing entrepreneurial thinking to nonprofits and underrepresented communities. She is a graduate of Duke University.