Recovery Uncovered is a webinar series that explores disaster recovery from a community perspective. Through a fusion of lived experience, expert research and practical advice, each webinar session offers the opportunity to explore disaster recovery through the eyes of those who have lived it and gain valuable insights, evidence and tools to enhance recovery practice.

Join AIDR and the Australian Red Cross as we listen, learn and engage with disaster recovery mentors and advisors.

Webinar three: Recovery: Rebuilding, Rumours, Realities and Reflections

In the third webinar of the Recovery Uncovered series, disaster recovery mentors Linda Snell, Mark Darby and Vicki Edmunds will join us for a live panel discussion to talk about the reality of recovery. From insurance and rebuilding to legal issues and economic impact, this session will cover the practical issues faced during the recovery process from three different perspectives.

Guest Speakers:

Linda Snell

Community Recovery Coordinator, Yarra Ranges Council

Linda is a dedicated professional with extensive experience in community development and disaster recovery. She has played crucial roles in the recovery of communities following significant emergencies, including the 2014 Hazelwood mine fire and the Yinnar South bushfire as part of the Southeast Complex fires in March 2019.

Linda’s personal experiences during the 2019 Mallacoota and Yinnar South bushfires further motivated her to provide essential support to communities in times of crisis.

In May 2021, Linda was appointed Team Leader for Relief and Recovery in the Yarra Ranges Council Emergency Management Team, a mere 4 weeks before a catastrophic storm hit in June. It feels like disaster follows Linda at times, but she is grateful for the opportunity to be here and help! Currently, Linda leads the Community Recovery Team as their Coordinator, overseeing recovery initiatives in the aftermath of the June 2021 storm.

Linda’s blend of personal insight, professional acumen, and leadership skills equips her to effectively navigate the complex challenges that arise during emergency disaster recovery and community resilience.

Linda’s strengths include relationship and partnership development, project management, facilitation, and systems development.

Mark Darby

Community Volunteer

Mark has worked for community, not-for-profit organisations and government at national, state and international levels. As CEO of a not-for-profit organisation in Canberra, the 2003 bushfires highlighted the need to scan 60 years of organisational history and develop operational electronic backup and business plans.

Following the 2018 Tathra fire, Mark became a member of the Community Reference Group Executive. With the Tathra Chamber of Commerce he developed a project funded by the NSW Office of Emergency Management that supported the recovery and future preparedness of business, with a specific focus on tourism. It followed the recovery experience of 21 businesses over 18 months. The Tathra-Sapphire Coast Tourism Resilience Project won the 2019 NSW Resilient Australia Award for Business.

Mark has since developed and coordinated recovery projects for environmental / tourism recovery (Wharf to Wharf Walk) and local economic recovery (Tathra Safer Pathways Project). As a Red Cross Recovery Mentor, he coordinated an economic recovery forum for Mallacoota in 2020.

Vicki Edmunds

Manager, Community and Library, Blue Mountains City Council

Vicki Edmunds has worked with Blue Mountains City Council in a number of roles. With a restructure in July 2019, Community Development was added to Vicki’s portfolio which also included Community Disaster Recovery. Hitting the ground running with the 2019-2020 summer fires, Vicki led the Council response to community recovery. With an ongoing and ever-increasing interest in disaster recovery, Vicki is now involved with the Australian Library and Information Association Blue Shield Australia partnership and more recently as a Red Cross Disaster Recovery Mentor.

Erin Pelly (Facilitator)

National Recovery Manager, Australian Red Cross

Erin Pelly is the National Recovery Manager at Australian Red Cross. Erin previously worked as the Recovery and Resilience Lead in Western Australia with the Australian Red Cross. Erin has over 10-years experience in community development and has worked in emergency services and disaster recovery for the last 6 years. Over this time, she has worked with over 65 local government areas impacted by disasters. This includes providing recovery programming support for communities impacted by the 2019-2020 black summer bushfires, 2021 Wooroloo bushfire, Tropical Cyclone Seroja and communities impacted by flooding in Queensland and New South Wales. Erin has a particular interest in inclusion and leading for wellbeing and program improvement as well as demonstrating the impact of recovery efforts. Erin is passionate about community led recovery and ensuring all community voices are included in recovery activities.