Shannon Pinegar started volunteering with the American Red Cross about two years ago while trying to figure out what came next in her career. A former professor, Shannon knew teaching wasn’t what she wanted to keep doing, and as she spent more time volunteering, she began to see a career path taking shape.

She responded to disasters, took on leadership roles and helped support other volunteers. Along the way, she started to see examples of how her work mattered. One of those came after she had helped install smoke alarms in a family’s home. Months later, she crossed paths with the family at a hospital, where the mother recognized her.

“She said, ‘You’re the one who saved our lives.’” The alarms had alerted the family to the fire and given them time to get out safely. By then, Shannon was starting to realize the work she had taken on as a volunteer was also the kind of work she wanted to keep doing as a career.

She has since made the move from volunteer to employee as our new Disaster Community Program Specialist for Jefferson and Shelby counties. She’s still working alongside volunteers responding to home fires and other local disasters, only now she is helping coordinate their work and making sure they have what they need in the field.

Having spent two years on the volunteer side, that experience now shapes what Shannon wants for the people she works alongside. “I just want to make sure they’re happy with what they’re doing and they’re finding fulfillment in the roles we’re giving them. I’m excited to keep working alongside the volunteers and working to serve our community.”