Rob Rivera G'18, G'19 in Los Angeles, where he’s provided emergency services and communications.
As wildfires raged through California in January, tearing apart thousands of lives, Syracuse University responded by doing what it does best—coming together. Mimi Teller G’22 and Rob Rivera G’18, G’19, alumni of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, have been part of the American Red Cross’ disaster relief services.
“We were thrown into the tragedy, despite living on opposite coasts,” says Teller, a Los Angeles native. “The University has strengthened our bond.”
Working Around the Clock
Rivera is a professional photographer and videographer who volunteers for the American Red Cross’ Central and Northern New York Chapter. He was deployed to California for two weeks in January to assist Teller, the development communications manager of the American Red Cross LA Region. The duo worked around the clock providing emergency services and communications, including several prerecorded news stories—“packages” in journalistic parlance—about devastation and resilience.
“The level of devastation in California is like none other,” says Rivera, who also has earned an executive master’s in international relations and a certificate of advanced study in public leadership and management, both from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.
Making a Difference
The Newhouse School has prepared me a thousand percent for what I do today,” says Mimi Teller G'22 (right), development communications manager of the American Red Cross LA Region.
“The experience was surreal,” recalls Teller, calling the wildfires some of the most destructive in LA history. “Thanks to our Syracuse education, Rob and I were able to make a difference.” Teller, who also is a professional photojournalist, completed her master’s dissertation in communications after a 29-year hiatus. “The Newhouse School has prepared me a thousand percent for what I do today.”
Boots on the Ground
“Disasters are interconnected. A wildfire in LA affects my family in Syracuse," says Rivera, who, like Teller, graduated from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.
Rivera met hundreds of displaced residents at American Red Cross shelters and disaster recovery centers. “These survivors are some of the bravest people I know,” says the Army veteran and former EMT. He attributes his crisis communications acumen to master’s training in public relations. “Competency is learned by real-world experience, which Syracuse offers plenty of.”
Being There
Teller (right) believes that storytelling is a crucial coping device during a disaster. “It helps people process their experiences.”
Teller and Rivera created several video shorts about victims of the California wildfires. “Most of the time, they just needed a shoulder to cry on because they had lost everything,” says Teller, an American Red Cross volunteer-turned-employee who has been deployed all over the world. The 24-day conflagration claimed 29 lives, displaced tens of thousands of residents and destroyed more than 16,200 structures.
Positioned to Help
Rivera outside one of the American Red Cross’ emergency shelters in LA.
Rivera has nearly 25 years’ experience in emergency services. (His first disaster assignment was 9/11.) No sooner had he arrived in LA than he was placed with Teller, who, unbeknownst to him, also had Newhouse roots. “She’s a fantastic producer who emanates positive energy,” says Rivera, owner of a Syracuse-based photography and videography business. “We had a good working chemistry.”
Surveying the Damage
“Places that were important to me … are gone,” says Teller, adding that the California wildfires have destroyed nearly 58,000 acres.
“It’s hard to capture on film the unspeakable devastation of a natural disaster,” says Teller, noting that the wildfires were fueled by unusually high winds and dry conditions. “I have seven close friends who’ve lost their homes. And places that were important to me—like where I had my bridal shower or where my best friend got married—are gone.”
A Personal Touch
“Most of the time, [people] need a shoulder to cry on,” says Teller, an American Red Cross volunteer-turned-employee.
“Providing comfort to disaster victims is just as important as giving them food and shelter,” says Teller, who is both a beneficiary and benefactor of American Red Cross support. The fires began Jan. 7, the day of her husband’s birthday. “After a 17-hour shift, I helped relocate him, my 98-year-old mother and our dog to Coachella Valley [two hours east].” Her home, located near the iconic Hollywood sign, was miraculously spared.
Reframing the Narrative
“The level of devastation in California is like none other,” says Rivera, who’s covered hurricanes, floods, tornadoes—and now wildfires.
“The ash and smoke were eerily reminiscent of 9/11," Rivera says. "And there was a palpable tension in the air." The California wildfires, which burned across 60 square miles, have been fully contained.
