Company Description
American property owners face an unprecedented crisis. Billion-dollar weather disasters have exploded from about three events per year in the 1980s to 27 disasters in 2024 alone. Nearly half of U.S. homes face severe threats, with about $22 trillion in residential properties at risk of "severe or extreme damage" from flooding, high winds, wildfires, and extreme heat. America needs a comprehensive, proactive national remediation program led by the private sector to get in front of the threats impacting our aged housing stock. Through years of work by a collective of talented and innovative people, Future Proof was created to address this problem. The insurance industry's response has created a second crisis. 95% of all US ZIP codes experienced a rise in homeowners’ insurance premiums in the last three years. Homeowners' insurance rates have risen dramatically, more than twice as fast as the rate of inflation. About 35.6 million properties — a quarter of all U.S. real estate and home to 120 million people — are facing higher insurance costs and lower coverage because of extreme weather risks. The average rise in insurance costs was 24% in the past five years. In the hardest-hit states, coverage is becoming completely unavailable. This convergence between insurance costs and insurance coverage creates consumer demand for solutions. Market research shows 51% of homeowners worry about extreme weather affecting their homes, while 80% of buyers now consider weather hazards when house shopping. Yet more than a quarter of homeowners say they aren't financially prepared to handle the costs that come with extreme weather. Homeowners desperately need actionable guidance to protect their properties and reduce insurance costs. The insurance industry recognizes that mitigation works - top insurers now offer premium discounts of 5-50% for protective features - but homeowners lack accessible tools to determine which improvements are most likely to provide a strong return on investment for their specific property (sources 1, 2, 3, 4, 5). Future Proof enters this market at a critical inflection point, when millions of property owners face an urgent need for personalized, actionable solutions to protect their most valuable asset.
Management Team / Advisory Board Bios
Ben Gilliland
Chairman / Founder
bdg3@Futureproof.org
With over 55 years of experience in design, technology, structured finance, and venture capital, Ben has led and financed pioneering work in live special effects, computer software, and licensed construction remediation, earning patents in fiber optics for his innovative solutions. Together with his late wife, Holly, he founded The Paulele Housing Association (TPHA) in Hawai‘i to develop affordable, climate-resilient housing and new material systems for wildfire, wind, and water resilience, and now advances protective solutions for low-level flooding. Leveraging his expertise in structured finance, Ben engineered the reorganization and spin-out of TPHA’s AI technology into Future Proof Property Intelligence, PBC, securing access to capital while expanding its mission to homeowners nationwide. A long-standing advocate for resilient, affordable housing and homeowner education, Ben and his team created Future Proof’s holistic platform to address the insurance crisis through cost-effective remediation and innovative financing. He has also authored numerous white papers on the housing crisis, the impact of extreme weather events, and the urgent need to strengthen America’s aging housing stock to prevent cascading losses across the mortgage, insurance, and construction sectors.
Claudia Brenner
Chief Executive Officer / Director
Claudia@Futureproof.org
Claudia transforms complex challenges into scalable, lasting solutions as a systems integrator and innovator. She designs advanced systems and software for global planning and analysis using AI and emerging technologies, with a career spanning Fortune 500s, mid-size firms, and startups. Claudia has delivered integrated platforms, enterprise portals, mobile applications, and mission-critical dashboards for Kaiser Permanente, Oracle, IBM, Applied Biosystems, and early-stage ventures. She bridges business strategy, marketing, systems integration, and life sciences to drive innovation. She earned a BS with Honors in Life Sciences (Penn State) and an MBA in Marketing & International Business (SMU Cox School of Business). As Co-CEO of the Catastrophic Wildfire Prevention Consortium (CWPC) at CrowdDoing, she works with communities and partners worldwide to build wildfire resilience.
Robert Bajoras
Chief Technical Officer
Bob@Futureproof.org
Bob began his career at Westinghouse Electric after earning a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. At Westinghouse, he worked on nuclear power plant instrumentation for the U.S. Navy, gaining early experience in safety-critical systems. He then advanced to Krautkramer Branson, where he designed ultrasonic test systems used in aerospace, automotive, oilfield, and other high-stakes industries. His first software project involved developing operating systems for instrumentation that inspected jet engine turbine blades and nuclear fuel rods for cracks—work that combined hardware engineering with software innovation.In 1999, Bob joined Art & Logic in 1999 later rising to President (2011–2023), where he led company strategy, expanded client relationships, and guided delivery of complex software solutions across diverse industries. Under his leadership, Art & Logic strengthened its reputation as a trusted development partner for startups, enterprises, and global organizations. Bob is known as a passionate early adopter and active beta tester, with a career-long enthusiasm for emerging technologies, software innovation, and tools that push boundaries.
Pualilia Paikuli (LMT)
Director / Chargé d'affaires
Pua@Futureproof.org
Born on O‘ahu and an active member of the Hawaiian cultural community, Pua brings over 20 years of professional experience and management with a diverse group of companies on the Island of Hawai’i and running her own business as a licensed massage therapist. She has proven to be an effective leader in both the organization of the TPHA nonprofit and the genesis of Future Proof’s spin-out. As a Future Proof Director and Chargé d’affaires, she serves as a navigator and pole star, balancing profit with heart to keep both companies aligned with their mission. In her role as Team Ambassador of Aloha, she ensures the organization remains rooted in the core values of its parent nonprofit. Guided by a deep commitment to stewardship of the Earth, Pua embodies the Hawaiian spirit and helps align the integration of technology with service to both humanity and the planet.
Alec Lai
Chief Financial Officer (Interim)
Alec@Futureproof.org
Alec is an entrepreneur and CEO of Zephyr Business Group, a finops firm providing back-office and strategic CFO services. He specializes in designing efficient systems that streamline operations, capture institutional knowledge, and free leadership to focus on growth. Through his consulting and leadership at Zephyr, Alec has supported over 70 clients—from startups and small businesses to nonprofits—helping early-stage companies raise more than $445M in pre-seed through Series A round.
Jessie Torrisi
Chief Marketing Officer/ Director
Jessie@Futureproof.org
Jessie is dedicated to using storytelling to drive property owner momentum for solving today’s disaster challenges brought on by extreme weather events. She has led communications, fundraising, and advocacy campaigns for social change organizations worldwide, including Human Rights Watch, Earthjustice, Color Of Change, Comic Relief, and the ACLU. With 20 years of experience, she has previously run her own consulting agency, Spark Strategy & Communications, and is driven by a commitment to racial justice, climate action, and community empowerment. She lives in Los Angeles by the beach with her dog, Penny Moon, where she contributes to the arts community and studies extreme weather resilience, with an emphasis on wildfire preparedness.
Dawn Sena
Advisor/Executive Director, TPHA
Dawn@tpha.org
Dawn, as key advisor to Future Proof’s executive committees, brings over 25 years of experience in real estate sales, specializing in luxury investments and residential properties across South Kohala, North Kohala, Kona, and Hamakua, along the coast of the Big Island of Hawai‘i. With a passion for addressing Hawai‘i’s affordable housing crisis—one that has driven an exodus of the state’s youth and seniors—she works to advance resilient, affordable housing and sustainable communities grounded in Hawaiian cultural practices, as the Executive Director of the Paulele Housing Association (TPHA), while promoting extreme weather education for property owners. She has also served as an executive director for numerous events and nonprofits, continuing to take on leadership roles that strengthen community and cultural connections. Known for delivering exceptional client service and building lasting relationships, Dawn offers expertise in housing market trends, strategic negotiation, and innovative marketing campaigns that consistently drive high-value transactions.