S11 Ep26: Logistics as Lifelines: Amazon’s Disaster Relief Programs

Guests: Bettina Stix & Andrea Fava, Amazon Executives

How can large organizations use their core capabilities to solve real community needs?
In this episode, we explore how Amazon applies its logistics network, technology, and innovation to support communities during disasters and address food insecurity at scale.

The first segment features Bettina Stix, Director of Amazon Community Impact, discussing how Amazon responds to global crises—from wildfires and hurricanes to earthquakes and humanitarian emergencies—by providing rapid disaster relief using the same systems that enable global delivery.

Then Andrea Fava joins Bettina for a panel at the San Francisco–Marin Food Bank, where Amazon partnered with the Food Bank to bring fresh groceries directly to households facing mobility, health, or transportation barriers.

Together, Bettina and Andrea demonstrate that meaningful social impact is not about charitable side projects; it’s about aligning what you do best with what communities need most.

 

Other episodes you'll enjoy:

- Tech with Purpose: Protecting People with Innovation with Aaron Parness & Beryl Tomay

- Our Emotional Recession: How to Lead When People Are Depleted with Josua Freedman

- Pets, Purpose, & Power: The Animal Science of Leadership with Rustin Moore, DVM

 

For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn.

 

RESOURCES:  

Learn more about Amazon’s disaster relief work at https://bit.ly/AmazonRelief.

 

Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here. 

 

Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI, or check out the Kindle version at https://amzn.to/44buVz8. The audiobook version is now available at  https://amzn.to/4dTCleZ.

 

Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here. 

 

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OUR PODCAST TEAM:  

Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf

Editor & Executive Producer: Dan Mushalko

Graphics Editor: Stacia Rogan

Booking Producer: Jenna Reik

Sponsorship Sales Manager: Kristine Gross

Theme Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay.

 

CONNECT WITH US: 

YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership 

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2 

IWebsite: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com 

 

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About Our Guests:  

Bettina Stix founded Amazon’s disaster relief program in 2017. Her experience at Amazon spans more than 26 years, and she's held leadership positions across international websites, customer service, and membership programs. Bettina now oversees Amazon's volunteering, disaster relief, food security, and education impact programs, leveraging Amazon's logistics and innovation and engaging employees to support communities worldwide. She serves on the board of Farestart, a Seattle nonprofit transforming homelessness and hunger into human potential. Stix holds a Ph.D. in comparative literature and a master's degree in history from the University of Stuttgart, Germany.

 

Andrea Fava is Vice President, US Public Policy, for Amazon. In this role, she leads state and local public policy across the United States. Andrea has been at Amazon for nine years. Prior to joining Amazon, Andrea directed Intel’s global public policy in the areas of environment, employment, and human rights policy. She served as the Environmental Director for the U.S. Council for International Business, a trade advocacy organization, and a consultant for the United Nations Environment Programme. Andrea holds an MA in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin, where her research focused on African politics, and a BA from the University of Delaware.