Thursday, March 19, 2026

Eaton Fire Recovery Coalition Names First Executive Director

Michael Ocon [photo credit:
The Eaton Fire Collaborative]

Michael Ocon, a Pasadena High School graduate, was chosen from 37 applicants to serve as the Collaborative’s first paid executive

The Eaton Fire Collaborative has selected Pasadena native Michael Ocon as its first Executive Director to lead long-term recovery coordination across Altadena, Pasadena, and Sierra Madre, the organization announced March 13.

Ocon, a Pasadena High School graduate who previously worked at Pasadena-based Collaborate PASadena, was chosen from 37 applicants through a competitive process that included multiple rounds of interviews and presentations to the full governing board, according to a press release from the Collaborative.

The appointment establishes the organization’s first paid executive position approximately 14 months after the January 2025 Eaton Fire.

The Collaborative serves as the region’s Long-Term Recovery Group, bringing together more than 200 community groups, nonprofits, and civic agencies to coordinate recovery services.

It operates The Collaboratory resource center at 540 West Woodbury Road in Altadena, which opened in October 2025 and offers case management, housing navigation, rebuilding guidance, and mental health services to fire survivors.

A board-appointed hiring committee led the search, according to the press release.

Applicants included nonprofit executives, civic leaders, and community members.

Finalists presented to the full board, which was elected by the Collaborative’s membership and is made up of fire survivors and community leaders, the press release states.

Ocon has been involved with the Collaborative since its earliest meetings after the fire, according to the organization.

He was elected by the membership to serve on the governing board and later selected as secretary.

“On behalf of the Eaton Fire Collaborative LTRG Board of Directors, we are delighted to have Michael as our ED,” Antonio Manning, the LTRG Chair, said in the press release.

“We are equally as thrilled knowing that Michael will bring the same energy, passion, and commitment to his new role that he demonstrated while serving as our board secretary.”

Before joining the Collaborative’s board, Ocon served as Manager of Community Partnerships and Communications at Collaborate PASadena, a collective impact organization, according to the press release.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Stanford University and a Master of Public Administration from USC, according to the Eaton Fire Collaborative’s website.

He currently serves as a trustee on the Monrovia Unified School District Board of Education.

Ocon said in a LinkedIn post that he was “humbled and honored” by the appointment.

“There is no mission more critical in our region than ensuring the care, safety, and justice of those impacted by the Eaton Fire,” he said.

The Eaton Fire killed at least 19 people and destroyed more than 9,400 structures after igniting January 7, 2025.

A survey conducted by the Collaborative found that 45% of displaced homeowners and nearly three-quarters of displaced renters were still seeking permanent housing, according to the Pasadena Community Foundation.

The Collaborative is a fiscally sponsored project of Community Partners and has received $975,000 from funders including the Pasadena Community Foundation and the California Community Foundation to secure its Altadena location, according to the Pasadena Community Foundation.

“I commit to stewarding this work with care and to confronting the challenges ahead together, in community,” Ocon said.

The organization can be reached at www.eatonfirecollaborative.org or info@efclc.org.