Building Community Resilience is Who We Are

Executive Director

Eliot Hurwitz

Eliot is co-founder and Executive Director of SSCRA. He was the managing member of the Bright Village LLC, a cooperative fire-recovery affordable housing project in Lake County, CA. Previously he served as Planning Manager for the Napa County Transportation and Planning Agency, as a Senior Policy Advisor to the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission and as a writer and Intergovernmental Affairs Specialist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, with a focus on sustainable communities policy. From 2016-2020 he served as the first Chair of the Cobb Area Council. 

Program Director

Magdalena Valderrama

Magdalena is co-founder and Project Director for SSCRA. She has worked across a range of community issues with nonprofit organizations, including the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation and the American Red Cross. Magdalena sits on the board of directors for the South Lake Fire Safe Council, and is an invited core member of the national Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network (FAC Net).  Magdalena’s presence represents the first time a core member has entered FAC Net from the field of fire recovery.

Administrator

Shasta McBride

Shasta is a nonprofit administrator with a diverse background in UX strategy, digital marketing, and operational leadership, bringing years of experience in community engagement, strategic planning, and technology-driven solutions. Her work includes overseeing digital initiatives, streamlining processes, and developing user-centered programs that enhance impact through storytelling. With a strong foundation in research, stakeholder collaboration, and content strategy, Shasta has successfully led projects across nonprofit education, financial services, and community development.