By Mimi Teller/American Red Cross

From a young age, Long Beach native Matthew Martinez knew he was meant to make a difference. His journey with the American Red Cross began in the fourth grade, when he took his first-ever basic first aid class. Fast forward a few years and Matthew, as a Boy Scout, learned how to be prepared and help save lives before, during and after an emergency. By high school, he was back in that same classroom—this time as an instructor with the Red Cross Youth Corps, sparking his lifelong dedication to educate youth and prepare communities for crisis.

Today, as the Public Health AmeriCorps Program Manager for the Red Cross, Matthew leads 30 AmeriCorps members across six states. His work integrates public health and emergency management initiatives, helping to make communities more resilient and better prepared for crises. While he handles the logistics and strategy of managing such a large-scale program, Matthew is also on the ground, offering guidance and support to ensure his team’s success.

Matthew’s dedication to public health and disaster relief is evident in both his professional and volunteer roles. As a First Aid/CPR instructor and small business owner, he equips local schools, businesses, and organizations with lifesaving skills through partnerships with Red Cross Training Services and American Heart Association to name a few. His passion for disaster response was evident through his work as a Disaster Action Team Supervisor, responding to emergencies across Long Beach and the South Bay at all hours. Committed to engaging youth in disaster preparedness, he founded the READYteens Program, which has empowered over 400 local teens with free lifesaving certifications and training, cultivating the next generation of community leaders ready to respond when disasters strike.

Even with all his commitments, Matthew still finds time to give back by donating blood. Knowing that Latino donors are in high demand, he views his donations a means to support those who need his blood most.

“I lead AmeriCorps members to strengthen our organization and deliver our mission. One of our main goals is supporting volunteer recruitment and engagement, ensuring we have the volunteer workforce needed to meet the needs of the community following a disaster is crucial. We play an incredibly important role in helping people recover from their worst day. Every volunteer that we onboard and every positive client experience helps to foster support for our humanitarian movement.”

From his education at UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health to internships with the California Department of Public Health and The Walt Disney Company’s Global Crisis Management team, Matthew’s career has been a relentless pursuit of service. Whether it’s helping a community recover after a disaster or empowering young people to take charge in emergency situations, Matthew’s dedication to keeping people safe is unwavering. His commitment to others is what drives him every day, making him not just a Red Cross superstar, but a true hero in every sense of the word.

“One of my favorite things about working for the Red Cross is whenever I am out in public, without fail, people come up and tell me the positive interactions they have had with our organization. It ranges from how they or their parents volunteered, that they, or someone they know received services from us and were thankful for it.”

Join Matthew and our team of heroes at redcross.org/la

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.