Cat Hebson

Cat Hebson, based in Asheville, North Caroline since 2020, lived through Hurricane Helene and was extremely active in the mutual aid networks immediately after the storm. Since November, 2024, she has been the Appalachia Programs Manager for the Footprint Project. Footprint Project is a disaster response and recovery nonprofit that responds to disasters with cleaner energy solutions (like solar generators) and works with community organizations to rebuild with permanent resilient technology (like solar microgrids). At Footprint, Hebson has developed wide-ranging programs with her teammates– running an individual and family assistance program where solar generators are installed for people in need, opening the Western North Carolina (WNC) Solar Free Store where Footprint has donated over $250,000 worth of equipment, building permanent energy resilience with microgrids in partnership with community organizations and hubs, and developing a WNC- based fleet of mobile disaster response technology. Hebson and the team have collaborated with partner organizations to complete five permanent microgrids at community hubs in the region and have a dozen more projects currently underway. Hebson is passionate about supporting her home rebuild with energy resilience. She has a varied background in mechanical engineering, working with Climate Scientists in a remote solar-powered camp on the Greenland Ice Sheet, and community organizing. Some things that make her smile are: biking as transit, a good fiction book, roller hockey, fixing things, printmaking, and sharing a good meal with good people.