Sonoma nonprofit CEO will attend State of Union as Rep. Thompson’s guest

Jennifer Gray Thompson, CEO of Sonoma-based nonprofit After the Fire USA, will attend  President Biden’s State of the Union address on February 7.

The Sonoma Valley native will be the guest of Rep. Mike Thompson (no relation), who cited her leadership in the emerging field of megafire disasters across the American West.

“I am honored to invite Jennifer Gray Thompson to represent our district and fire survivors at the State of the Union address,” said the congressman. “Our district has been ground zero for some of California’s worst wildfires, and the resilience of our communities and those who lost their homes, businesses, and livelihoods deserves recognition.”

In the aftermath of the 2017 North Bay fires, Thompson became the executive director of Rebuild NorthBay Foundation (RNBF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping our communities rebuild and recover from fires. In response to the Camp Fire of 2018, Thompson and RNBF established After the Fire USA to help address megafires.

“She is emblematic of the strength of our survivor community and has been instrumental in helping fire survivors recover and rebuild,” said Rep. Thompson. “I look forward to welcoming Jennifer to Washington to uplift every survivor of wildfires.”

The Sonoma Valley High grad said she is honored by Congressman Thompson’s invitation. “His leadership and dedication on challenges related to wildfire continue to make a difference in the lives of our district and extend far beyond to help all wildfire communities recover,” she said. “I am proud to partner with him to protect survivors.”

Jennifer Thompson’s path to leadership took several turns: she is candid about being a high school dropout, a homeless teenager, and a poverty-stricken single mom. But she self-funded her education, ultimately earning a Master’s degree and then began working for the County Supervisor Susan Gorin. Read her Sun interview.