About

CAPA

CAPA (Climate, Adaptation, Planning, Analytics) Strategies provides data analytics and decision support tools to communities around the world. Our model is rooted in innovative research and an ever-growing network of experts, researchers, and concerned community members. We seek to provide accessible data acquisition and analysis tools and methods, poignant data-based insights, and community-based strategies to move toward an equitable and climate-adapted future.

Joey Williams, MURP

Manager

Joey directs operations of the CAPA Heat Watch program and assists with organizational growth of CAPA. He combines his process design skills with a passion for environmental human health. He earned an Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from Portland State University.

Dana Hellman,  PhD

Resilience Manager

Dana manages the implementation of CAPA’s Resilience services. She is an environmental social scientist and earned her PhD in Earth, Environment & Society from Portland State University.

Bradley Wilson, PhD

Lead Geospatial Analyst

Bradley is the lead geospatial analyst at CAPA strategies and oversees the technical execution and scientific development of CAPA products. He is a Geospatial Data Scientist with a PhD in Geosciences and a M.S. in Geography from the University of Arkansas.

Zachary Boyce, MS*

Data Analyst & Media Specialist

Zachary has worked at the local, regional, and federal levels of government helping effectively communicate the many dimensions of disaster and climate risk through research, analysis, and design. He has a B.S. in Geography from Portland State University and is completing his MS in Community Resilience and Disaster Management at Portland State University.

*in progress

Eliza Amstutz, MS

Hazards Monitoring Program Associate

Eliza works as a Program Associate for CAPA, primarily serving on the Heat Watch program. Situated between data visualization specialists and clients, she applies both quantitative and qualitative based methods to climate programs and projects. Her background in geospatial analysis and social science informs study design, data management, client engagement and support. She is motivated by innovative approaches to environmental public health and science to solutions processes.

Vivek Shandas,  PhD

Founder / Advisor

Vivek brings over two decades of environmental and climate science experience to support CAPA's strategic direction as an advisor. Vivek's volunteer role at CAPA aims to grow the field of climate adaptation and establish impactful partnerships.

Sajani Kandel, PhD

Resilience Associate

Sajani supports CAPA’s community resiliency efforts through rigorous desktop research, market research, and comprehensive product development of community-based extreme heat monitoring and assessment projects. She is an environmental scientist with an expertise in climate resilience, decision science and community based extreme heat resiliency efforts. She earned her PhD in environment science from University of Massachusetts Boston. Outside of office, she enjoys following the English Premier League, playing tennis, and capturing images of Beavers along walking trails in her neighborhood.

Erica Bestpitch, MS

Administrative Assistant

Erica supports CAPA's internal operations and administrative processes. 

History

In 2019, CAPA began conducting field campaigns to provide hyper-local descriptions of urban heat distribution in communities around the United States. Our efforts have translated into local climate action and resiliency plans, the emergence of climate-relevant nonprofits, and decision makers’ work to address the inequities inherent in urban climate challenges. Examples of how we’ve supported organizations to address extreme heat are available in Recent Work.

Since then, CAPA has built additional tools to help build local capacity to adapt to climate change. These tools integrate social, infrastructural, and ecological aspects of any location for an equitable and holistic approach to community adaptation.

Today, our commitment to support community preparation for a changing climate has never been stronger, and our reach and publicity is growing. We offer the creation and integration of high quality data by engaging those who value proactive planning. Our promise is to provide 100% of our understanding, experience, and effort to support organizations that are taking swift action to prepare for climate change. We look forward to working with you!