Live Updates

Meet the Team | Alina Kurska Capponi | International Affairs Director & Ukraine Programs Director

International cooperation has shaped Alina’s journey, from diplomacy and international relations to humanitarian action. At GEM, she serves as International Affairs Director and Ukraine Programs Director, leading international engagement and strategic partnerships. Alina manages the portfolio of programs through GEM’s partnership with the Howard G. Buffett Foundation across Ukraine.

Alina graduated magna cum laude from the Institute of International Relations at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv with a master’s degree in International Relations, Social Communication, and Regional Studies.

She began her humanitarian journey as a student while volunteering with Amnesty International. After graduation, she joined Yalta European Strategy (YES) as International Projects Coordinator, contributing to high-level international events on security and Ukraine’s future.

From 2021–2023, Alina was selected by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine to serve as Ukrainian Youth Delegate to the @unitednations . In 2022, she addressed the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee, calling for youth cooperation for peace.

At the onset of the war in Ukraine, Alina began leading the Relocation Project for former First Lady of Poland, Jolanta Kwaśniewska. In partnership with GEM, the project relocated more than 38,000 Ukrainians to over 40 countries. After the project concluded, Alina joined the GEM team.

In 2023, she completed the U.S. @statedept International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), on Regional Responses to Refugees and Migration. Today, Alina leads GEM’s cooperation with international governments, foundations, donors, and private sector partners.

She frequently participates in GEM’s humanitarian missions worldwide, including Ukraine, Türkiye, Haiti, Venezuela, Japan, Syria, Israel, Jamaica, Egypt, and other countries.

In 2024, Alina received the Youth Humanitarian Hero Award at AidEx Geneva. Alina believes that the true strength of international cooperation lies in trust and a shared commitment to a common purpose. ...

WASHINGTON STATE WILDFIRES | Distribution Day 2 on the ground in Spokane, Washington.

Today, our GEM USA West team continued setting up operations at the Spokane Disaster Assistance Center (DAC), preparing resources and critical supplies to support individuals and families impacted by the devastating wildfires across the region.

Working alongside Emergency Management and local partners, GEM is helping create a coordinated response so displaced families and those who have lost homes can access the assistance they need as recovery begins.

With wildfires still burning across Washington and many communities facing significant loss, our team remains fully deployed and ready to serve.

For those impacted, the road ahead will take time. GEM will continue standing alongside these communities, not only through the immediate emergency, but throughout the recovery ahead.

More updates from the ground to come.

To support GEM’s disaster response efforts, visit GEM.org.

#GEMUSAWest #WashingtonWildfires #WildfireResponse #DisasterRelief #WashingtonState ...

WASHINGTON STATE WILDFIRES | GEM USA WEST RESPONSE

More than 840 structures destroyed. Tens of thousands forced to evacuate. Thousands of firefighters on the front lines.

GEM USA West is actively deployed in Washington, delivering critical humanitarian aid to individuals and families impacted by the devastating wildfires.

Working alongside Emergency Management, local communities, Tribal partners, and trusted organizations, our team is coordinating GEM resources through the Spokane Disaster Assistance Center (DAC), helping ensure aid reaches families who have lost their homes, been displaced, or otherwise affected.

The Spokane Complex fires, including the Old Trails, Autumn Lane, and Fairview fires, have burned more than 10,000 acres. And the threat is not over.

With multiple wildfires still burning across Washington, including on Tribal lands, Red Flag Warnings remain in place as gusty winds and low humidity could fuel further rapid fire spread.

For families who have lost homes, belongings, and a sense of security in a matter of hours, recovery is only beginning. GEM will remain on the ground, standing alongside Washington’s impacted communities through the immediate response and the recovery ahead.

To support GEM’s disaster response efforts, visit GEM.org.

#WashingtonWildfires #WashingtonFires #WildfireResponse #DisasterRelief #WashingtonState ...

Mission Empowered | A Full Circle Moment | Congratulations to our GEM Haiti Graduates

Today, we proudly celebrate three remarkable young people whose lives embody the very heart of Global Empowerment Mission’s purpose.

In January 2010, Haiti was forever changed. After the devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake, entire communities were reduced to rubble. Families who had lost everything sought refuge beneath tents, tarps, and makeshift shelters scattered across the soccer fields of Léogâne. What had once been a place of play became a place of survival.

It was there that GEM Founder Michael Capponi, alongside his mother Danoushka Capponi and founding Executive Board Member Felicia Marquez, met hundreds of young children camped out in tents.

Of the many, Bianca. Sylvania. Sébastien graduate today over 16 years later.

In the midst of unimaginable loss, they saw not only children in need, but lives filled with possibility. They made a simple promise: these children would not be forgotten.

When Global Empowerment Mission was formally established in Haiti in 2011, that promise became a long-term commitment. GEM ensured each of them had access to an education, encouragement, stability, and the opportunity to dream beyond the disaster that had defined their earliest memories.

Year after year, they persevered.
They studied, They grew, They refused to let tragedy determine their future.

Today, sixteen years later, that journey reaches a beautiful milestone. Bianca and Sylvania have earned their Certificates in Culinary Arts, equipping them with the skills to build meaningful careers and create opportunities for themselves and their families. Sébastien has graduated from high school and is preparing to pursue higher education in Accounting and Entrepreneurship, with dreams of building a successful future of his own. @danoushkannes @feliciamarquez #GEMHaiti #empowerment

Bianca Pierre
Certificate in Culinary Arts
Centre d’Art Ménagers Baptiste Eben Ezer de Jacmel

Sylvania Pierre
Certificate in Culinary Arts
Centre d’Art Ménagers Baptiste Eben Ezer de Jacmel (CAMBEJ)

Sébastien Philippe
High School Diploma
Future Major: Accounting & Entrepreneurship
Collège Hosanna ...

Director of Operations | Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) USA West

After rebuilding her own life following California’s devastating 2018 Camp Fire, Elizabeth C. Jernberg discovered that disaster recovery is more than a profession, it is her life’s calling.

As Executive Director of Operations for GEM USA West, Elizabeth leads disaster response and long-term recovery efforts across the western United States, overseeing humanitarian operations, logistics, strategic partnerships, and survivor-centered recovery programs that help communities rebuild stronger after disaster.

A proud member of the federally recognized Tachi Yokut Tribe, Elizabeth is passionate about serving Indigenous communities and advancing GEM’s Tribal Impact initiative through partnerships focused on preparedness, resilience, clean water access, and sustainable recovery. She believes that honoring culture, listening first, and building trust are essential to lasting change.

Elizabeth earned her Master of Business Administration (MBA), strengthening her expertise in executive leadership, organizational development, strategic planning, finance, marketing, and operations. With more than three decades of executive leadership experience spanning business, entrepreneurship, hospitality, education, and nonprofit management, Elizabeth brings a unique combination of operational expertise and lived experience to every mission.

Having lost her home, business, and nearly everything she owned in the Camp Fire, Elizabeth understands firsthand the emotional and practical challenges survivors face. That experience transformed personal tragedy into purpose and fuels her commitment to helping others recover with dignity, compassion, and hope.

Whether responding to wildfires, floods, or other disasters, Elizabeth believes recovery is about more than rebuilding homes, it’s about restoring hope, strengthening communities, and empowering people to move forward together.

“Leadership is not measured by the title we hold, but by the lives we impact, the hope we restore, and the communities we leave stronger than we found them.” ~Elizabeth C. Jernberg #GEMUSAWest ...

Spokane County, Washington is presently being affected by its largest natural disaster in history with the Old Trails, Fairview, and Autumn Lane Fires destroying thousands of acres of land. Over 700 structures have been lost to the fires, with hundreds of residents losing their homes, businesses, and schools. Tens of thousands of residents have been evacuated, and the fires still continue to spread due to the dry conditions and winds. GEM’s USA West branch has deployed to Spokane County to provide those affected with immediate needs and assistance. To learn more, and to support: www.GEM.org #WashingtonState #Wildfires ...

GEM Caribbean is helping families and schools impacted by Hurricane Melissa rebuild stronger than before.

Together with our partners - American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ), NCB Foundation, Ghetto Youths Foundation, Bob Marley Foundation, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) - we’re helping communities move beyond emergency relief toward long-term recovery and resilience.

To date, we’ve completed roof repairs on 458 homes and 28 schools, while also providing temporary classrooms across St. Elizabeth, Westmoreland, Hanover, and St. James, with more projects already underway.

Because recovery isn’t just about rebuilding what’s been lost. It’s about creating stronger, safer, and more resilient communities for the future. To learn more visit the link in our bio, or GEM.org @afjcares @ncbfoundation @ghettoyouthsfoundation @iom.jamaica @iom.caribbean @bobmarleyfoundation ...

Dr. Luis Antonio Velásquez Quiroa | Executive Director | Global Empowerment Mission Latin America (GEM LATAM)

Academic & Professional Background:
Luis Antonio Velásquez Quiroa holds a Doctorate in Political and Social Sciences with a specialization in Economic Development.

Cabinet-Level Public Service:
For six years, Dr. Velásquez served at the highest levels of the Guatemalan government, holding several Cabinet-level positions, including:
* Minister of Economy
* President of Guatemala’s state-owned commercial bank, Banco CHN
* Secretary of Executive Coordination of the Presidency
* Secretary for Special Affairs of the Presidency
* Advisor to the President on Economic and Social Development, Negotiation, and Conflict Resolution

In 2018, Dr. Velásquez was invited to join the Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) Advisory board and later became the Executive Director of Global Empowerment Mission Latin America (GEM LATAM). This branch oversees humanitarian operations from Central to South to America. Under Dr. Velásquez’s leadership, the organization has successfully executed 25 humanitarian missions across more than 11 Latin American countries, delivering critical emergency assistance in response to natural disasters and humanitarian crises.

Indigenous Advocacy: Dr. Velásquez is also the Co-Founder of the World Network of Indigenous Entrepreneurs, an international initiative dedicated to advancing Indigenous business leadership and economic opportunity.

International Speaking: As an internationally recognized speaker, he delivers lectures worldwide focusing on a vast array of topics, including Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), nearshoring, global competitiveness, disaster response, geopolitics, and sustainability. ...

Texas Flood Response Update | Texas Hill Country

Conan Scott, Director of Operations for GEM USA Southwest, is reporting from the front lines of the ongoing flooding across the Texas Hill Country.

GEM responded immediately to last summer’s catastrophic flash floods that claimed more than 130 lives. Since then, our teams have remained on the ground, helping families, homeowners, and local businesses rebuild. Now, just 12 months later, many of those same communities are facing devastating losses once again.

Over the past 48 hours, GEM USA Southwest has:
• Distributed emergency beverages and hygiene kits to shelters.
• Conducted damage assessments for impacted businesses.
• Coordinated volunteers to begin muck-outs, debris removal, and heavy equipment operations.
• Prepared to launch emergency Cash Card distributions beginning tomorrow.

Our teams are actively assessing the hardest-hit communities to identify the most urgent needs and determine the next phase of our response.

Recovery is only beginning, and these communities need our support now more than ever.

To learn more about GEM’s Texas flood response or to support our mission, visit the link in our bio. #Texas #Floods #GEMUSASouthwest ...

Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) was honored to receive the Community Game Changer Award from the @marlins and the @loandepotpark #Foundation. Our sincere gratitude to the entire Marlins organization for standing with #GEM and supporting our humanitarian response following the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela. Your commitment demonstrates the powerful impact that can be achieved when the sports community, businesses, nonprofits, and volunteers unite behind a common purpose. Together, we’re proving that compassion, collaboration, and community partnerships can truly change lives.

This recognition belongs to every volunteer, donor, corporate partner, and community organization that answered the call to help. Together, we’ve already delivered 15 cargo planes of life-saving humanitarian aid, and we remain fully committed to supporting the people of Venezuela throughout the long recovery ahead.

This mission will be a long one, and we’ll need continued support. Learn more and help by visiting the link in our bio. ...