Overview
ReunitePath is a disaster response web platform designed to help families reconnect after being separated by major natural disasters.
The platform was conceived and launched in response to Hurricane Melissa, one of the three most powerful hurricanes in recorded history and the deadliest to ever make landfall in Jamaica.
During the crisis, communication systems were disrupted, and families were displaced with limited access to reliable information.
ReunitePath emerged as a practical, ethical solution to support reunification efforts during and after the disaster.
The initial release focused on delivering a fast, accessible, and trustworthy MVP that could function under extreme conditions.
The platform remains live and is positioned for future adoption by disaster response teams, displaced families, government agencies, and humanitarian organizations.
The Problem
Natural disasters frequently separate families while simultaneously overwhelming emergency infrastructure.
Communication breakdowns, power outages, and displacement make it difficult for individuals to locate loved ones or report missing persons.
Existing tools are often fragmented, designed for internal use by agencies, or too complex for emotionally charged public scenarios.
In moments of crisis, survivors and responders need a simple and secure way to register missing persons, search for loved ones, and coordinate information in real time.
Most existing solutions fail to prioritize usability, emotional context, and public accessibility at the same time.
My Role
I founded ReunitePath and served as the product owner and lead engineer.
I was responsible for defining the problem, shaping the product vision, and executing the platform end-to-end.
This included product discovery, UX and interaction design, technical architecture, security implementation, full-stack development, deployment, and post launch evaluation.
Ethical considerations were central to every decision.
The platform was designed to handle sensitive personal data responsibly while remaining accessible to users operating under stress and uncertainty.
Strategy and Product Decisions
The core product strategy prioritized clarity, speed, and trust over feature depth.
Rather than attempting to build a complex system, the focus was on shipping a minimal viable product that addressed the most critical needs first.
Every workflow was designed from the perspective of survivors to reduce friction during moments of emotional distress.
Security and data boundaries were treated as foundational elements, not add-ons.
Accessibility, legibility, and emotional context were prioritized to ensure the platform could be used by people of varying technical ability under difficult conditions.
The product was intentionally designed to support both individual users and institutional stakeholders in future iterations.
Technical Approach
ReunitePath was built as a full-stack application using React, TypeScript, and TailwindCSS on the frontend.
The backend was powered by Supabase, leveraging Postgres, authentication, and row-level security to enforce strict access controls.
I maintained end-to-end ownership of the data models, permission systems, and application workflows.
Security was implemented at the data layer using role-based access control, ensuring that sensitive information remained protected from the outset.
The application was deployed as a live, production-ready MVP with scalability and future expansion in mind.
Launch and Outcome
The MVP was successfully shipped under time-sensitive conditions during an active disaster response window.
Core workflows for registering missing persons, searching records, and reconnecting individuals were validated in real-world conditions.
The project demonstrated the feasibility of a lightweight, public-facing disaster response tool built with ethical and operational considerations at its core.
The launch also surfaced clear next steps for partnerships, institutional adoption, and expanded functionality.
Key Learnings
Building ReunitePath reinforced that in crisis-driven products, clarity and trust matter more than feature richness.
Ethical MVP delivery is often preferable to over-engineering when time is critical.
Security and access control must be designed from day one, especially when handling sensitive personal data.
The project also highlighted that timing and distribution can be just as important as product quality, and that building for both individuals and institutions requires clear separation of concerns.
Current Status and Path Forward
ReunitePath remains live and positioned for future development.
Planned next steps include expanding roles for verified responders and agencies, introducing operational dashboards for disaster response teams, forming partnerships with NGOs and government organizations, and adding localization and offline-tolerant workflows to improve resilience during infrastructure outages.
