Rebecca Thomley, PhD, is recognized with this APA Citizen Psychologist Citation for her exemplary leadership and service to disaster relief efforts nationally and internationally.
Thomley broadened Orion Associates and its related organizations for profit and non-profit, social mission to promote greater community outreach and volunteerism. In 2005, Thomley, a lifelong volunteer, created the non-profit, Headwaters Relief Organization. Headwaters mission is to bring hope and to build resilience to people and communities following a natural disaster. Headwaters seeks to inspire passion to serve others and forge connections between those who are being served, the Headwaters team and the community at large. Headwaters ensures that every volunteer, regardless of age, background, skills or experience, feels valued and motivated to continue to serve others.
A non-profit organization with over 2,000 volunteers, Headwaters is a member of Voluntary Organization Active in Disasters (VOAD) and a member of InterAction, an organization to connect NGOs working internationally. Headwaters has responded to disasters in multiple states including Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Louisiana, Iowa, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Colorado, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Michigan, Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico, as well as internationally, in Haiti, Philippines, Nepal, Greece in service of refugees, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Jordan. Headwaters has responded to tornadoes, flooding, the Minneapolis bridge collapse, the Gulf oil spill, earthquakes and hurricanes, providing clean-up, rebuilding, mental heal support, public health interventions and medical support. Headwaters' provides ongoing mental health and public health services in New Orleans' Ninth Ward and Haiti. Headwaters draws volunteers from all over the US as well as internationally.
Headwaters developed training curriculum for staff and volunteers addressing such issues as psychological first aid, compassion fatigue, and grief and loss. That training has been used in groups ranging from the Virgin Islands, to refugee camps in Greece and in Flint, Michigan.
Thomley and Headwaters' volunteers have written six books for children. Through storytelling, these books address normal responses to disaster while building coping skills and supporting the development of resiliency. The six books were created to address disasters in Haiti, the Philippines, Nepal, and the Ebola crisis affecting children in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. A fifth book was developed in partnership with organizations overseas supporting refugees and the sixth book is currently being distributed throughout Puerto Rico.