Like a lot of Angelenos, Katie Swenson was touched by last year’s Los Angeles fires. The longtime L.A. resident has friends who lost their homes in Altadena and Pacific Palisades. She remembers the rain of ash falling in her backyard.
Swenson, a USC Price School of Public Policy alum, was well-prepared to help people affected by the blaze, with more than 15 years of experience in social service program management, community relations, and philanthropy.
Now, she has the opportunity.
Swenson recently landed a job as the Head of Community Partnerships at the Department of Angels, a nonprofit supporting survivors of the L.A. fires. Co-founded by Snap CEO Evan Spiegel and California Community Foundation President & CEO Miguel Santana and launched in the immediate aftermath of the 2025 disaster, the nonprofit is focused on ensuring that communities affected by the fire can lead their own recovery.
“When I saw the opportunity to be a part of making a difference for communities going through such devastation, it really spoke to me,” said Swenson, who earned a Master of Public Administration (MPA) in 2020. “What also stood out to me was that the core mission is to make sure survivor voices are uplifted and recovery is happening with survivors – not to survivors. Keeping the community at the center, and not imposing things on the community.”
One way that the Department of Angels aims to do this is through its quarterly survey of thousands of survivors – the only consistent and statistically significant assessment of recovery needs from the 2025 fires. The nonprofit says findings from the survey inform philanthropic investments and shape policy discussions.
A Community-Centered Approach
A community-centered approach to disaster recovery is crucial, according to USC Price School research. Organizations that work closely with disaster survivors to build trust and collaborate on solutions “play an essential role in shaping equitable and lasting recovery outcomes,” Assistant Professor Santina Contreras wrote in a recent article detailing findings from her research examining how nonprofits, community-based organizations, and grassroots networks have responded to the L.A. fires.
As Head of Community Partnerships, Swenson manages relationships with individual survivors, government offices, civic institutions, fellow nonprofits and other partners working on the recovery. Swenson also launched a new philanthropic initiative to provide grants and technical support to community organizations, with the goal of reaching more survivors. So far, the Department of Angels has funded more than a dozen groups ranging from those hosting large-scale community events to nonprofits helping seniors who lack the digital access needed to navigate recovery programs.
“One thing that stands out to me is the amazing resiliency of the community leaders I work with,” Swenson said. “These are volunteer-led efforts. These are people navigating their own recovery while, at the same time, investing in a lot of sweat equity into bringing their community back as well.”
A Path to Leadership
Swenson began her career with the L.A. Mayor’s Office of Gang Reduction and Youth Development, overseeing programs aimed at reducing violence. She later worked as a nonprofit consultant before taking a job at Honda, where she led the auto giant’s corporate social responsibility efforts across the U.S.
Swenson credits her education at the USC Price School for boosting her career. The school helped her land the Department of Angels job, too. Department of Angels asked the USC Price School’s Office of Career Services to share its job posting with the Trojan Family Network of Price alumni. The Office of Career Services, which helps students and alumni find career opportunities by connecting them to employers, shared the job posting online, where Swenson saw it and applied.
“We’re a small, nimble team serving a big mission,” said Department of Angels Director Christine Kwon. “With deep roots in both community and systems change, Katie combines protean talents, people-centered perspective, and smart strategy to drive community-led recovery and resilience after the fires. We appreciate institutions like the USC Price School that help develop these types of leaders not only for our organization but for all of Los Angeles.”
“I truly feel honored to have the opportunity to apply my experiences and work with my team on a daily basis to help people going through the worst experience of their lives.” Swenson said.
