By Janet Koelling, American Red Cross Public Affairs
“Initiative, Influence, Guiding Light, Torchbearer”
These are words that can be used to describe female leaders in the American Red Cross Disaster Response Operation (DRO) for the Colorado Wildfires. Of the 255 volunteers who have worked on these wildfires, 178 are women. One-third of women on the disaster response operation are in a leadership position. Moreover, women account for 60% of the leadership volunteers who have served on the Colorado Wildfire DRO.
The Red Cross organizations of Colorado and Wyoming worked diligently throughout September and October to help residents who were evacuated from fires that include the East Troublesome and Cameron Peak Fires, Lefthand Canyon and Calwood Fire.
Here is a snapshot of a few of these exemplary leaders.
Jody Acres
Served as the Second DRO Job Director
Jody currently serves as the Disaster Relief (DR) Job Director; Retired USAF Lt Col. and served as Western Colorado Red Cross Staff. Jody is the Volunteer Lead for Summit County, Volunteer Partner to Western Colorado DPM, Leadership Development Lead for Colorado Wyoming Region and Assistant Director/OPS on the SWARM DRMT.
Jody’s role is to lead a team of volunteers and employees to serve those affected by the Colorado wildfires. She oversees operations; Mass Care, Disaster Health Services, Disaster Mental Health, DSC and Recovery, in addition to their support services that include Workforce, Planning, Logistics, Finance and External Relations.
Jody describes what is most important to her about her Red Cross service. “I get the most satisfaction from making our team successful, getting them what they need, removing barriers and ensuring they know how much their work matters.” She is challenged by working remotely, “It is so hard to feel connected to the people and the mission. I love hearing the mission stories people share. When I received an email thanking me for my comments on our 5 pm all-staff meeting that made my day.”
Andrea Carlson
Served as the First External Relations Assistant Director
Andrea worked as the DR’s Public Affairs Lead and also the Assistant Director of External Relations. Her Public Affairs role included assisting with storytelling, talking points, media releases and massaging media relationships, social media content and more. In External Relations, Andrea helped lead Government Operations, Community Partnership, Public Affairs, Fundraising and Community Leaders.
Regarding the Disaster Relief experience, Andrea says, “While I was the AD of ER, we were working with an entirely female team. It was incredible and empowering to see this great group of women working together, accomplishing valuable tasks and making sure we took care of the communities who needed our help most.”
Andrea describes the benefits of serving the Red Cross in the Colorado Wildfire Disaster Relief effort: “Getting the opportunity to go into a community to help provide people a safe place to stay is a huge honor. There are times when the days are so long, and you can’t think straight, but being able to help someone else makes it all worth it. I believe in our mission, and supporting our communities through a disaster is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done.”
Cori Tanner
Served as the Second External Relations Assistant Director
Cori is Volunteer Partner to the Disaster Program Manager for the Southeast Chapter in Colorado (Colorado Springs), a DDO, an area lead for three counties, a Disaster Action Team Manager, an Advanced Instructor and Casework Supervisor and all other duties as assigned.
She was deployed two other times in Colorado since COVID-19 in various positions and co-lead the Colorado/Wyoming Shelter Strike Team. Cori was originally deployed to the Cameron Peak response as the Community Engagement & Partnerships Lead, then became the Assistant Director of External Relations.
CEP’s role (Community Engagement & Partnerships) is to bring community resources together to assist clients on their road to recovery. During her deployment, Cori acted as a liaison, working to determine the needs, assisting shelter workers in procuring supplies while responding to inquiries from agencies, companies and individuals who wished to donate to clients. She worked with external partners to fill specific client needs. Cori coordinated the donation of children’s comfort kits (which included crayons, coloring books, stuffed animals, puzzles, balls) that were provided to all the children in each of the hotels.
Cori finds her work to be meaningful, saying, “We are the keepers of all the donor information for the operation, from the individual who brings a case of water to the shelter for the clients to corporate donations. Once when on a DR, I procured a camper for a client to live in to replace the one lost in a flood. Knowing that he would have a place to live was rewarding.”
Pat Chappell, BSN, MA, MS DDD/DDSRD
Served as the Third External Relations Assistant Director
Pat Chappell served the Colorado Wildfire Disaster Relief as the third External Relations Assistant Director. In this role, Pat provided oversight for governmental operations, community engagement partnerships, public affairs and fund development, all of which engage the “whole community” approach to disaster response.
Pat speaks of her commitment to the Red Cross that began with admiration for the Red Cross founder, Clara Barton, on the battlefield, “Since I am retired Air Force and a Nurse, Clara Barton and her contribution to the soldiers, and eventually to all of humanity, are of special significance to me.”
Pat continues, “It gave me great satisfaction to work with a caring and respectful team while serving the community. I was able to assist Disaster Health Services primarily with outreach strategies for connecting community resources for their clients. I’m so grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to work with compassionate and caring individuals.”
The Red Cross touches people at the deepest levels. Pat Chappell conveys this heart-warming sentiment, “When responding to a house fire, I offered the father a teddy bear, giving him a hug. When he embraced me back with tears, I knew I was really helping. We all need hugs and teddies.”
Some of the other amazing female leaders on the Colorado Wildfires DRO:
- Courtney StrotherCourHere is a snapshot of a few of these exemplary leaders.tneyMelody Gayeski, DRO Director
- Karen McClure, Operations AD
- Katie Webster, Chief of Staff
- Sally Broomfield, Operations AD
- Meghan Powers, Planning AD
- Susan Walker, Finance AD
- Pj Doyle, External Relations AD
- Ashley Turner, Workforce AD
- Courtney Strother, DRO Director
- Denise Marcella, Workforce AD
- Sarah Donaldson, Deputy AD of Ops
- Isabel Scott, DRO Meteorologist
According to Regional Communications Specialist for the Red Cross of Colorado and Wyoming, Catie Ballenger, the Red Cross provided 38,409 overnight stays in 18,194 rooms, in 221 hotels and campgrounds, during the Colorado/Wyoming wildfires. (Stats as of November 5, 2020) The Red Cross women, and those in leadership, played a significant role in providing relief and support to those communities and individuals in crisis.
Why are you leaving out the women who were leads (ie DMH, DHS, DSC, etc etc)
Hi, Judy!
For the purpose of this blog, we didn’t include leads. (I being one of them – PA Lead). When we listed leaders at the bottom, I made sure the language said “Some of the other female leads so the reader would know there is more.” We can add them. I will work the PA lead.
Thanks,
Catie Ballenger