Penn State CSCR: Unpacked: Insights (formerly Penn State Supply Chain Podcast)
When Supply Chains Save Lives: Inside ALAN's Disaster Response with Kathy Fulton, Executive Director of the American Logistics Aid Network
Penn State CSCR: Unpacked: Insights (formerly Penn State Supply Chain Podcast)
•March 4, 2026•29 min
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Penn State CSCR: Unpacked: Insights (formerly Penn State Supply Chain Podcast)•Mar 4, 2026
Why It Matters
Understanding how supply chain expertise can be rapidly deployed in emergencies reveals a critical lever for saving lives and strengthening community resilience. As disasters become more frequent and complex, the episode underscores the importance of coordinated, data‑driven logistics and the role of industry professionals in supporting humanitarian efforts.
Key Takeaways
- •ALAN coordinates disaster logistics via industry partner network.
- •Data mapping of infrastructure predicts supply chain impacts.
- •Volunteers bridge nonprofits and logistics firms, avoiding unneeded aid.
- •Success measured by survivors helped, not on‑time delivery.
- •Resilience requires community‑wide planning beyond individual company boundaries.
Pulse Analysis
The American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN) emerged after Hurricane Katrina when supply‑chain professionals recognized the chaos of disaster response. Today, ALAN links more than 36 industry associations with nonprofits, matching trucks, warehouses, and equipment to urgent humanitarian needs. Executive Director Kathy Fulton explains how the nonprofit acts as a broker, turning commercial logistics expertise into life‑saving operations, from Haiti’s earthquake relief to U.S. wildfires, while keeping the focus on rapid, coordinated aid rather than ad‑hoc donations.
A cornerstone of ALAN’s effectiveness is its data‑driven intelligence center. Leveraging Kathy’s IT background and a partnership with EverStream Analytics, the organization maps critical public infrastructure—airports, ports, bottleneck routes—and overlays real‑time weather and policy changes. This geographic‑data platform, originally built during the pandemic, enables precise predictions of supply‑chain disruptions, allowing partners to pre‑position resources and adjust routes before a disaster strikes. The result is a proactive, analytics‑powered humanitarian logistics model that mirrors commercial best practices.
Measuring impact in disaster logistics differs from traditional on‑time‑in‑full metrics. ALAN tracks donated mileage, pallet space, equipment value, and, most importantly, the number of disaster survivors assisted—1.8 million in 2025 despite a quiet hurricane season. Kathy advises companies to broaden resilience planning beyond their own walls, ensuring suppliers and communities can survive alongside them. By educating partners on realistic needs, discouraging unrequested aid, and fostering a collaborative network, ALAN demonstrates how a coordinated supply‑chain approach can save lives and build stronger, more resilient societies.
Episode Description
In this episode, Donna and Tom sit down with Kathy Fulton, Executive Director of the American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN), to explore how supply chain expertise saves lives during disasters. Kathy shares her journey from IT leadership at Saddle Creek Logistics Services to building ALAN's Supply Chain Intelligence Center, which predicts disaster impacts and coordinates relief efforts. She discusses the evolution from responding to three major events annually to managing constant mobilizations, her 2023 testimony before the U.S. Senate Budget Committee on climate change impacts, and strategies for building supply chain resilience. Listeners will gain insights on humanitarian logistics, disaster preparedness, and how private sector professionals can leverage their skills for meaningful impact beyond efficiency metrics.
Takeaways:
The transition from commercial logistics to humanitarian supply chain leadership
Building predictive systems for disaster response coordination
Supply chain resilience strategies for climate-related disruptions
How logistics professionals can contribute expertise to disaster relief efforts
Stay connected with CSCR on LinkedIn (Center for Supply Chain Research) and Instagram (@pennstatesupplychain), and be sure to follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you are tuning into Unpacked: Insights hosted by the Penn State Smeal Center for Supply Chain Research™. Thank you for joining us!
Visit our website: https://www.smeal.psu.edu/cscr
Guest Bio:
Kathy Fulton is the Executive Director of American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN), focusing on the critical role industry expertise can play in disaster relief. She leads the organization in delivering logistics and supply chain assessment, coordination, and education to support responsible disaster relief. Kathy has served on national workgroups focused on efficient coordination of logistics activities during disasters, including those hosted by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, the Department of Homeland Security, the Transportation Research Board, National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, and the National Emergency Management Association.
In 2023, Kathy was invited to testify before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Budget on the impact of climate change on supply chains and in 2019 she was named a Supply Chain Rainmaker by DC Velocity Magazine.
Prior to joining ALAN, Kathy served as senior manager of information technology services at Saddle Creek Logistics Services, where she led IT infrastructure implementation and support, corporate systems, and business continuity planning. She holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Northwestern State University of Louisiana and dual master's degrees in business administration and management information systems from the University of South Florida.
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