Chief Executive Officer
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Samantha (Sam) James is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and co-founder of the Altadena Recovery Team. As CEO, Sam provides strategic leadership and vision for ART, ensuring all programs and operations align with our mission to support residents impacted by the Eaton Fire. She co-leads grant strategy and financial oversight, while maintaining accountability, sustainability, and strong community partnerships.
Sam was born and raised in the Altadena area where she is a sixth-generation resident after her family originally placed roots in the area in 1890. She acutely experienced the LA fires as an evacuee from the Palisades Fire and as more than half of her family members had their homes damaged or destroyed in the Eaton Fire– including her childhood home.
Outside of ART, Sam is pursuing a Master of Public Policy (MPP) at UCLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs, where she is a member of the Class of 2027 and a Luskin Leader in the Field awardee. She is also a UCLA alumna, having earned her BA in Political Science and a minor in African American Studies in 2021.
While completing her studies, Sam works as a graduate student researcher at the Black Policy Project in UCLA’s Bunche Center for African American Studies focusing on the impacts of Fair Chance Housing and other criminal justice reform policies. She is also a founding board member and advisor for the California Legislative Black Staff Association.
She uses her experience in California State policy, inclusive and trauma-informed community engagement, and nonprofit management to advocate for Altadena residents at every stage of the rebuild.
Chief Operating Officer
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Savannah Bradley is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and co-founder of the Altadena Recovery Team. As COO, Savannah manages ART’s day-to-day operations, events, systems, and internal coordination to ensure smooth delivery of programs and services. She works closely with Sam on grant writing, reporting, and helping translate funding into effective action on the ground.
Savannah is a long term resident of the Altadena and Pasadena area with a deep history of community service within the area, including as a Princess in the 2018 Rose Parade.
A proud graduate of California State University, Sacramento, Savannah earned her BA in International Relations. She served as President of Diverse Empowered Women (D.E.W), a campus organization focused on women’s leadership and empowerment and studied abroad in Ghana to explore comparative criminal justice systems and restorative justice practices. Savannah continued to integrate her dedication to service and passion for exploration through solo volunteer travel that has included volunteering at a youth surf camp in Portugal, further deepening her global perspective and connection to youth empowerment.
She currently serves as an education instructor with the Pasadena Unified School District, supporting K–12 students by adapting academic strategies to diverse learning needs.
Through all of her roles, Savannah remains committed to building systems of support that reflect the values of justice, empowerment, and liberty—ensuring no community member is left behind in times of crisis or recovery.
Chief Impact Officer
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Allison Moore is the Chief Impact Officer (CIO) and co-founder of the Altadena Recovery Team. As CIO, Allison designs and evaluates our programs to measure and strengthen the impact and effectiveness of our wildfire recovery and resilience efforts. She also surveys residents, provides frontline customer service, and makes recommendations to ensure our work remains community-informed and outcome-driven.
Allison was born and raised in Pasadena, and her family was deeply impacted by the Eaton Fire, where they experienced loss and damage of multiple family homes.
With a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and a minor in Psychology: Behavior and Social from San Diego State University, she has built a career centered on service, empowerment, and community-driven change. She helped to develop the Black Pre-Law Society on SDSU’s campus where she served as the public relations chair helping to expand the horizons for aspiring Black law students. Through ART, she works closely with local organizations, businesses, and volunteers to provide free resources every Saturday to residents rebuilding their lives. Her leadership focuses on disaster preparedness, recovery, and long-term community resilience.
Beyond her work with ART, Allison has extensive experience in customer service, clerical support, and youth empowerment. As a Youth Empowerment Fellow with Changeist, an AmeriCorps program, she helped design and facilitated educational programs for over 100 students. Her ability to organize, advocate, and connect people has led to tangible results, including helping secure a $450,000 grant to enhance Changeist’s programming.
Allison believes in the power of grassroots movements to drive lasting change. Whether through disaster recovery efforts, youth mentorship, or community organizing, she remains dedicated to creating a more connected, resilient, and just society.
Chief Wellness Officer
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Makai Ward is the Chief Wellness Officer (CWO) and co-founder of the Altadena Recovery Team. As CWO, Makai leads our mental health, trauma-informed care, and holistic wellness programming for both the community and our team. She ensures wellness practices are woven throughout everything we do, supporting healing, connection, and long-term resilience.
Makai is a long term Altadena resident whose family has deep roots in the community. She is one of many Altadena residents who experienced long term displacement as a result of the Eaton Fire.
Guided by purpose and driven by a deep belief in collective care, Makai is a certified yoga instructor, wellness advocate, and hospitality professional with a deep commitment to community and culture.
With years of experience at Soho House, she’s developed strong skills in client relations, problem-solving, and high-level service. That same dedication to care and connection naturally led her into the world of wellness, where she’s completed two 200-hour Power Yoga trainings and a 60-hour Sculpt certification.
Bridging her love for movement with purpose-driven storytelling, Makai also supported the marketing efforts of a Black woman-owned yoga and apparel brand, helping amplify messages rooted in inclusivity, authenticity, and empowerment.
Whether hosting, teaching, or building brand presence, she brings intention, energy, and a heart for healing to everything she does.
