LAURIE FISHER (SHE/HER)
CEO and Founder of PHNX Development
San Diego, California
I was called to Santa Rosa, California, in 2018 to help fire survivors rebuild their homes after the Tubbs Fire, and that was an eye-opening experience. It was a very difficult process and a long one; these folks didn’t want to build a new home, they just wanted their home back. After that, I was determined to solve this problem, and that was when I founded PHNX Development. I have experience working with victims of violent crime, and so I’m trained in trauma-informed care and crisis intervention. We retooled the design process to make it streamlined and easier to navigate. We are the first organization to build a single-family, net-zero energy home using Type 1A construction, the highest rating of noncombustible construction, without wood, making homes climate-resilient and wildfire-resistant. We are empowering local, small-to-medium contractors and businesses to build back a stronger community, a safer community.
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This article appeared in the March 2025 print edition of the magazine with the headline “#IAMTHEWEST.”
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