Board Member Spotlight

Michelle Crawford

After Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, thousands of evacuees ended up in Charlotte.

“That was the first time I really saw the Red Cross in action,” said Michelle Crawford, a member of the Greater Carolinas Chapter Board of Directors. “I remember having to defend the Red Cross, and in defending, I really had to have a firm grasp on what it is we do.”

Crawford joined the chapter’s Diversity Committee about five years ago.

“It takes a lot of working with community groups and educating people on how we work,” she said.

Since Crawford joined the Board of Directors, she said she has noticed more women are getting involved in Red Cross leadership positions.

“We’ve made strides in diversity, but there is a lot that still has to be done,” she said.

Crawford is the CEO and president of Business Concept Solutions, which assists companies in gaining certifications and gaining business through federal, state and local government agencies, as well as publicly traded companies, privately held companies, trade associations and not-for-profit charitable organizations.

In addition to her work with small business, she remains focused on expanding the Red Cross’ exposure in minority communities.

“Our outreach is huge,” she said. “I like the Red Cross’ commitment to community, even in these hard times. The Red Cross is still bringing aid to people who are hurting in their time of need.”

Cutter Davis

In addition to joining one of our board committees initially and then joining our board three years ago, Cutter has jumped “whole-hog” within the past year into his additional “opportunities” as chair of the Financial Development Committee. 

He has read, considered, and responded to every e-mail message and phone conversation.  He has dug deeper, analyzed, and conveyed trends into many Excel spreadsheets of donor minutia.  His “granular” detail has provided additional backing of fundraising goals and updates. 

Cutter’s willingness to reach out to volunteers, donors and staff is commendable. His analyses always convey new considerations. His attendance at discussions and meetings is nearly 100 percent, which is exceptional. Even through recent staff transitions and “challenges” of the current economic climate, this volunteer board member has continually tried to think of new modes and opportunities to engage more donors, coordinate events more efficiently, and link activities to our strategies. 

We are honored to welcome this volunteer’s dedication to the Red Cross. Thank you, Cutter, for being a committed volunteer.

Ginger Kelly

Ginger Kelly began her involvement with Greater Carolinas Chapter in 1995. She has and continues to tirelessly volunteer in many areas within the chapter, such as financial development and marketing - just to name a few. 

Not only is she a member of our Board of Directors, she is also one of our Tiffany Circle Society of Women co-chairs. Her constant giving of her talent, time, and treasures is ongoing. 

She was instrumental in implementing the Tiffany Circle at the Greater Carolinas Chapter, which has had remarkable growth in its two-year existence.  Recently, she has begun traveling to chapters within our region promoting the Tiffany Circle and offering her time to assist them in organizing their own Tiffany Circles. At the Tiffany Circle National Summit last month, Ginger and several other local Tiffany members pledged a lifetime commitment to the Circle.

She has hosted several chapter events, which resulted in the chapter receiving generous financial donations. Ginger has played a major role in the planning for the Greater Carolinas Chapter’s annual fundraising luncheon, which is the chapter’s largest fundraiser.

Ginger’s kindness and endless hard work exemplifies the meaning of the Red Cross mission. When she enters a room, her warmth and compassion fills the room and she is always happy to see you. 

She devotes her time outside the American Red Cross as well. Yearly, she volunteers full time to coordinate the volunteers at the Quail Hollow Golf Tournament as well as being on the Board of UMAR (United Methodist Agency for the Retarded), which was co-founded by Theresa Hall (fellow Tiffany Circle member). She is a member of Women’s Impact Fund, of which Elaine Lyerly (fellow Tiffany Circle co-chair) is the incoming chair.

Ginger has engaged several people with the Red Cross through donations, volunteering and event attendance. She is always at the ready to help cultivate and steward our donors and prospects

This board member and volunteer is a sterling example of the seven American Red Cross Fundamental Principles.

Obi Anyafo

Obi Anyafo’s family has come full circle with the American Red Cross. His wife has multiple sclerosis, and as a result, had numerous doctor’s and physical therapy appointments that were necessary for her treatment. The Red Cross Transportation Services Program in Charlotte was able to pick her up from her doorstep, take her to her appointments and bring her home - for free.

“It helped us so much, because I didn’t have to worry about how she was going to be taken care of and how I would still be able to work,” Anyafo said.

Now, Anyafo serves on the Greater Carolinas Chapter’s Board of Directors and will soon be stepping into the role of Board Treasurer.

He owns his own tax and accounting business and said his background and experience will be key in taking on his new role of Treasurer.

“This is a challenging environment,” he said. “I’m willing to inject change and question certain things so we can survive this economy.”

Anyafo joined the Red Cross a few years ago at the urging of a fellow board member.

“I was looking for a way to get involved, and Gilbert Peacock suggested I work with the Red Cross, and he just hit one out of the park with that,” he said.
He noted that when you work with the Red Cross, you are constantly impressed with the organization.

“Every time there’s a situation - a home fire, hurricane - the Red Cross is there,” Anyafo said.

Though he was familiar with the Red Cross from his family’s experience, he still learned a thing or two after joining the organization.

“I took a tour, and it really opened my eyes,” he said. “I used to think the Red Cross was funded by the government, but it’s not. This is funded by people in the community.”

And Anyafo works hard to ensure those donations keep coming. “I always tell people, ‘If there’s one organization you’re going to donate to, you should make it the Red Cross.’”

Elaine Lyerly

More than thirty years ago, Elaine Lyerly’s employer urged her to get involved with the Greater Carolinas Chapter of the American Red Cross. She joined the communications committee and immersed herself in learning about Red Cross programs and services.

And she was hooked.

“What keeps me involved is seeing first-hand the difference the Red Cross makes in people’s lives,” Lyerly said.

One vivid memory occurred while she was serving on the American Red Cross Board of Governors, which arranged for members to visit New Orleans post-Hurricane Katrina.

“It was so moving to see how people there were so appreciative of the Red Cross,” Lyerly said. She had the opportunity to distribute clean-up kits to residents affected by the storms. “The Red Cross was literally their lifeline. I remember looking at other board members, and we all had tears in our eyes.”

Lyerly currently serves on the Board of Directors at the GCC, she co-chairs the local Tiffany Circle Society of Women and she was recently named the National Co-Chair of the Tiffany Circle Advisory Council.

The Tiffany Circle Society of Women Leaders is a group of philanthropic women who give $10,000 to their local Red Cross annually. Lyerly co-chaired a national task force that developed the Tiffany Circle.

“We were looking at the ability of the Red Cross to raise money during non-disaster times,” she explained.

Almost immediately, the program was a success, and the Greater Carolinas Chapter formed a local Tiffany Circle.

“What draws me to the Tiffany Circle is that it involves women and the money raised stays here in our community,” Lyerly said. “Women give differently. They want to be involved and have a say in how their donations are spent.”

As co-chair, Lyerly has helped grow the GCC Tiffany Circle to more than 15 women.

“People want to work and help and be a part of this organization that helps people in their darkest hour.”

As the new National Tiffany Circle co-chair, Lyerly said she hopes to tap into more communities around the country as well as grow the program internationally.

“There is so much wisdom among these groups of women,” she said. “And it’s great that they come together to work toward a common cause.”

Iris Horton

Growing up in Puerto Rico, Iris Horton learned at a young age how invaluable Red Cross disaster services are.

“Every year we were hit by storms. Even ones that didn’t make the news would cause flooding and damage,” she recalled.
And when storms hit, Horton and her family sought refuge in a Red Cross shelter, sleeping on Red Cross cots and using Red Cross blankets.

“The Red Cross always brought comfort and hope,” said Horton. “That has really stayed with me and inspired me.”
Those memories compelled Horton to get involved as a volunteer with the organization, and she now serves as Vice Chair of the Greater Carolinas Chapter’s Board of Directors.

“It wasn’t until I got involved that I found out that the Red Cross is more than blood and disaster services,” she said.
In fact, even though Horton had received Red Cross disaster assistance as a child, it wasn’t until her work with the Greater Carolinas Chapter that she found out the Red Cross also responds to home fires.

“Even the ones that seem small because they aren’t on the news, those are big to that family who has lost their home,” Horton said. The Greater Carolinas Chapter helped 314 such families last year alone. “Finding out about these other services makes my work here even more worthwhile than I thought.”

She said the Red Cross Transportation Services Program really strikes a chord with her. Horton’s mother-in-law, who is 86 years old, now lives with her family and needs transportation to and from her medical appointments. While Horton said she is lucky she and her husband are available to provide this for her mother-in-law, she knows the Red Cross would be there if they couldn’t.

“There are a lot of elderly people who are in that situation, where they need someone to take them to the doctor,” she said. “And there will be a growing need for that service as the population ages.”

Added to the challenge of an increase in clients is a current decline in donations. “People don’t realize that the Red Cross needs money all year round to sustain these programs – that’s one of the biggest myths,” said Horton, who also serves on a committee that helps with chapter fundraising. “People tend to give only after a big disaster is in the news.”

She noted that even though the local Red Cross has been affected by a struggling economy, staff and volunteers continue to do excellent work.

“They do so much with so little,” she said. “It always amazes me.”

Keith Butler

Keith Butler has been volunteering with the Red Cross since he was “just a kid” teaching water safety in Greensboro. He’s logged nearly two decades of service with the Greater Carolinas Chapter as a board member, serving as board chairman a few years ago and presently holds the position of Treasurer.

Butler also has helped with chapter finances, the annual golf tournament and served on a number of committees. He said his most meaningful experience was working with the Transportation Services program.

“I met with several of the drivers and said, ‘How can we improve our program?’ ” Butler recalled. “They said, ‘Come ride with us.’ ”

So he took a day off work and rode with two drivers, picking up clients at their door, taking them to medical appointments and returning them home afterward.
“For one of the clients, the Red Cross was the only contact they had with the outside world – it just brightened their day,” Butler said. “That really brought me the spirit of the program and what we do.”

Transportation Services and the Red Cross Emergency Services programs are two of the most underrated yet critical aspects of the organization, he said.
Butler got a firsthand glimpse of Red Cross disaster response during his tenure as board chairman. At that time, Hurricane Katrina had forced thousands of people along the Gulf Coast to flee to Charlotte’s Coliseum.

“Walking around the Coliseum, seeing the masses of cots and the long food lines – it really emphasized how important the Red Cross is in our communities,” he said.

And it’s those firsthand experiences that Butler says help him in his decision-making on the board.

“I feel like I can make informed decisions because I’ve been out there to actually see what we’re doing in the field,” he said.

He said he’s been fortunate to work for a company that encourages volunteerism.
He works as senior vice president of tax for Duke Energy, which has been a long-time supporter of the Red Cross.

When he’s not working at Duke or volunteering his time, Butler enjoys fly fishing in the mountains.

“On the way to Brevard, I always pass the local Red Cross chapter,” he said. “It’s a neat reminder to know that the Red Cross is always there, even in a small town like that.”

Mike Rash

Mike Rash will never forget walking through the Coliseum in Charlotte after thousands of evacuees affected by Hurricane Katrina were relocated here.

“There was an elderly man walking just ahead of me, and walking toward him was a Red Cross volunteer walking a dog on a leash,” Rash recalled.
The dog had been separated from his owner during the storm, and the volunteer was walking through the masses trying to find the owner.

“Well, here, the man in front of me was the owner, and I got to watch them reunite,” Rash said. He talked with the dog’s owner shortly after they reunited, and the owner sobbed as he said, “I never thought I’d see my dog again.”

“That’s one time that I can pinpoint being so proud to be a part of the American Red Cross,” Rash said.

Since July 2004, Rash has been a part of the Red Cross family through serving on the Board of Directors and taking the position of chair for fiscal year 2008-09.
“There is so much more to the Red Cross than what people think,” he said, noting that one of his goals for the Greater Carolinas Chapter is to be the most popular choice for volunteerism among local nonprofits.

Outside of his Red Cross work, Rash is president of Exit Realty and serves on the board of Community Link, which provides safe, decent and affordable housing for working class poor in the Charlotte area.

Rash is a dedicated and engaging volunteer. You’ll find him joking with people at all the chapter’s big events or walking through the office, just to say hello to Red Cross volunteers and staff.

“There is so much passion in this organization—it’s just so great to see,” he said. 

Rash was recently asked to serve on the National Leadership Council, which advises National CEO Gail McGovern and the Board of Governors on field issues. It is an honor to be asked to serve on the council, and Rash is extremely deserving of the honor.