SAVANNAH, Ga. —The American Red Cross of Georgia is pleased to announce Chelsea Sawyer as Executive Director of the Southeast Georgia Chapter. In this role, Sawyer will lead the organization's humanitarian mission across 18 counties, guiding disaster response and preparedness efforts while strengthening volunteer engagement, fundraising and community partnerships. . The chapter is powered by more than 500 dedicated volunteers who help deliver Red Cross services throughout Appling, Brantley, Bryan, Bulloch, Camden, Candler, Charlton, Chatham, Effingham, Evans, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, Montgomery, Tattnall, Toombs and Wayne counties.

Sawyer is a dedicated emergency management and communications professional with extensive experience helping communities prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters. Before joining the Red Cross, she spent nearly a decade with the Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA), where she managed programs spanning transportation, mass care, health and medical services, public-private partnerships, external affairs and disaster recovery. She also led the agency's social media and digital communications efforts and coordinated community and faith-based partnerships supporting disaster preparedness and recovery.

“Chelsea brings an exceptional combination of emergency management expertise, community leadership, strategic communications experience and a passion for helping others,” said Alicia Doherty, Regional Chief Executive Officer of the American Red Cross of Georgia. “We are excited to welcome her to this important role.”

Sawyer holds a master's degree in public administration and policy from Virginia Tech and is both a Georgia Certified Emergency Manager and a project management professional. Throughout her career, she has supported response and recovery efforts for hurricanes, tornadoes, ice storms and other large-scale emergencies and has been recognized for her leadership in emergency management and public communication.

"The Red Cross is where my career in service began, and I'm honored to come back and lead this mission for the coastal Georgia community I call home,” said Sawyer. "My work over the past decade prepared one county for its worst days; now I have the privilege of expanding that same commitment across 18 counties. Whether someone's worst day comes from a house fire, a hurricane, or a medical emergency requiring blood, I want them to know the Red Cross is there. I'm committed to expanding our reach and deepening our partnerships throughout the chapter.”

Last fiscal year, the Southeast Georgia Chapter assisted more than 1,850 people affected by nearly 300 disasters across the chapter. Working alongside volunteers, donors and community partners, the chapter provides disaster relief, support for military members and their families, preparedness education and other humanitarian services throughout Southeast Georgia.

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.