Revisit some of our proudest and most memorable moments and help us continue our work in the new year.
We would like to thank our local sponsors who are committed to making Central-Western Massachusetts a safer place to live and call home.
Karl Storz
Bowditch & Dewey, LLP | National Grid | Unibank | Woodmeister Master Builders
All Star Incentive Marketing | Consigli Construction Co., Inc. | Cornerstone Bank | Grimes & Company | Lynne Lirette | Rakesh Kapoor and Family | Reliant Medical | Southbridge Credit Union
Launched in October 2014, the American Red Cross Home Fire Campaign aims to prevent deaths and injuries from home fires, which account for most of the more than 60,000 disasters that we respond to each year.
The Red Cross is here for you. Please call us at 800-564-1234 for assistance.
Visit our Get Help page for additional resources.
Information on blood drives, blood donation appointments as well as your personal blood donor account can be found on our Red Cross Blood website>
We provide help for members of the military, veterans and their families to prepare for, cope with and respond to the challenges of military service.
Learn CPR, First Aid. Water Safety and other lifesaving skills.
The best way to provide immediate relief to your neighbors facing emergency situations is through a monetary donation. Our disaster assistance programs rely heavily on the generous financial support of citizens in the Massachusetts region. Even if you only have a few dollars to spare, your donation to American Red Cross disaster relief will make a significant difference in the lives of those facing disasters. Make a one-time donation today either online, by phone, or by mail, or set up a recurring monthly donation to make an even bigger difference.
The humanitarian work that we do at American Red Cross would not be possible without our volunteers. We have a variety of disaster relief volunteer opportunities available, as well as potential positions focused on facility management, health and safety, service to the Armed Forces, and professional specialties like photography, IT, and more. Check out our current volunteer opportunities near you in Worcester & Springfield, Massachusetts!
Host a charity stream by playing your favorite video games while raising life-saving funds to help those in need. You can also fundraise your way by energizing your community through celebrating a special occasion or being creative to help to those in need. Click a button below to get started!
Nia Rennix, Executive Director, Central-Western Massachusetts
(413) 233-1024
nia.rennix@redcross.org
Mary Nathan, Disaster Program Manager, Western Massachusetts
(413) 233-1017
mary.nathan@redcross.org
Luca Calvani, Disaster Program Manager, Central Massachusetts
luca.calvani@redcross.org
Chris Olson is responsible for resilience, information governance, and IT infrastructure for MassMutual. Chris was elected to the Board of Directors in 2018. He started his career as a certified business continuity planner. During that time, he served as a committee chairman for LOMA, a faculty guest speaker for Symantec, and a featured presenter at DRJ Fall World in San Diego, and was published in the Journal of Business Continuity & Emergency Planning and Corporate Security magazine.
Tanya Moniz-Witten is the VP of New England Electric Field Operations. In her current role, Moniz-Witten’s organization is responsible for maintaining and building the NE service territory distribution grid and electric metering services. In addition, her team is responsible for the emergency response as it relates to maintenance and restoration of our electric distribution system. Her leadership ensures that her team provides safe, reliable, and cost effective electric service while maintaining compliance, following regulatory requirements and adhering to all safety regulations.
Prior to this, Moniz-Witten worked for Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) for 17 years. She held two key Sr. Director roles (Electric Maintenance & Construction and Electric Grid Operations), similar to her current responsibilities at National Grid. Other positions included, Director of Public Safety & Regulatory (Compliance), Director of Meter Asset Management & Engineering, Director of Business Operations for the company’s SmartMeter Project Team.
Moniz-Witten joined PG&E in 2003 and has held various positions in Energy Delivery, Finance, and Shared Services. For a good portion of her career at PG&E, she was responsible for all forecasting and budgeting activities of the company. In this role, she supported senior leadership decision-making by facilitating the delivery of thoughtful, accurate, and timely financial projections and plans, as well as assessments of related risks and opportunities. Moniz-Witten has a strong operations and project management background and prior to joining PG&E; she spent several years as an environmental operations manager, business process analyst, and high school mathematics teacher/Varsity Softball Head Coach.
Moniz-Witten received a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies from UC, Santa Barbara, and an MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. During her free time, Moniz-Witten enjoys spending time with her family (husband and two boys), vacationing in Hawaii where her parents were born and raised, being a cheerleader in the stands for her two boys, and as a season ticket holder, rooting for the Giants at Oracle Park. Soon she will be spending time at Fenway cheering for the Red Sox.
Brad Campbell was elected to the position of President at CMEA in September of 2017. CMEA is a HR Support organization assisting small to mid-size firms with implementation of HR laws as well as Employee Benefits and Leadership Education. CMEA was established in 1904 with a membership of 300 businesses. Previously, Brad served as the Executive Director of the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Western MA. From 2003 through 2008 and again from 2010 through August of 2017. Also served as the Administrator for the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of MA. From 2011 through August of 2017. These non-profits supported the residential construction and remodeling industry. Assisting member firms with education, legislation, health and safety and general business practices. Brad also serves as the Chairman of the board of Arrha Credit Union located in Springfield, MA.
Ayanna Crawford is the Educational Consultant and Motivational speaker for nonprofits and colleges in the Pioneer Valley. Crawford is the current Chief of Staff to Representative Orlando Ramos. She is also the owner/ President of AC consulting and Media Services specializing in workshops in communications skills; press releases; social media management & marketing with nonprofits and community-based centers in the New England area. Ayanna also has a love for public relations and media work.
She has been a guest lecturer at Smith College on “Best Practices for literacy development in Urban Schools” in the education department at Smith College. She is a graduate of Westfield State University with a BA in psychology and an M.Ed. from Springfield College as well as an Alumni of Ameri Corps program, which is a service program that places students in urban schools to help with closing the achievement gap.
Ayanna is the original former host of "Gospel Café, a regional entertainment showcase in New England area, as well as Tastemakers Soul event of local, regional, national entertainment world to network with Executives in the Entertainment industry. Also, to Ayanna's credit, she has been a featured speaker at numerous colleges and universities on the topic of race, women's issues, and parenthood.
She created a signature program for girls in a western mass called “it’s your turn take the mic" - which is a summer enrichment program, Afterschool and school-aged program for girls ages 5-18 years old in the Greater Springfield area. She is also the founder of Women in the Business club of Western Mass area. She is currently on the board of BHN Parent Villages as board Vice-Chair.
She is currently writing a book on Tips for young girls in public speaking. Ayanna Crawford is the proud mother of two children. She regularly volunteers for several organizations and community-based centers assisting them with media & Public Relations!
General Driscoll is Director, Joint Staff for the Massachusetts National Guard located at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts. He serves as the chief advisor and principal assistant to the Adjutant General. He is responsible for directing, supervising, training, coordinating the staff and assisting the Adjutant General in the deployment and coordination of programs, policies, and plans affecting over 8,000 members of the Massachusetts National Guard.
General Driscoll is a graduate of Northeastern University, where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, and American Military University where he received a Master’s Degree in Military Studies.
Sarah is the Director of the Office of Enterprise Resilience (OER) at MassMutual. OER is responsible for the overseeing the company’s Business Continuity, Emergency Management, High-Severity Incident, Third Party Resilience, and IT Disaster Recovery Programs. The organization provides the framework, oversight and governance intended to build resilience and minimize business impact from technical and non-technical threats and hazards to the MassMutual enterprise.
Sarah is a leader dedicated to continuous improvement and the development of both her team and supporting processes. As a leader in the IT world, she is able to leverage her years of experience from business/customer service roles to bridge the gap between the areas to help achieve common goals. Sarah is driven and self-motivated and encourages the development of her team through enablement.
Sarah was raised in Western MA and currently resides in East Longmeadow MA with her two teenage sons, Dominic – age 18 and Gianni – age 17.
Mike Garreffi is the news director for WWLP-TV. Mike has served on the Board since 2013. Mike and the team at WWLP-22News and The CW Springfield support the local efforts of the American Red Cross with consistent media coverage. Mike is an active member of the Heroes Planning Committee, and has served as the Media Sponsor of the Heroes event for the past 16 years.
Kim Goodnow was re-elected to the Board of Directors in 2012 and currently sits on the Philanthropy, Board Development and Engagement, and Heroes Event Committees. She has served as a Red Cross Disaster Action Team volunteer and is currently a member of the Tiffany Circle of the American Red Cross, a community of women leaders locally, nationally and internationally who advance the American Red Cross mission through a focused investment of time, talent and treasure. As a long-time volunteer with the Red Cross since 2002, Kim shares her passion for service and volunteerism and introduced a pilot program at Woodmeister called Ready When the Time Comes. This pilot program allowed trained employees to respond along with the Red Cross to local disasters (fire, flood, severe storm damage) that occur during business hours. Kim is co-owner and Ambassador at Woodmeister Master Builders, re-sides in Princeton with her husband Ted and has three children. She is passionate about the American Red Cross, enjoys photography and doing anything in the great outdoors.
Rob is responsible for company’s ERM Program, including organizational risk and performance reporting and business continuity planning. Prior to joining FPI, he worked in the energy industry for twenty years, and gained over ten years of hands-on risk management experience in both entrepreneurial and regulated environments. He is also a certified business continuity professional.
Rob is a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute and is pursuing a Master of Business Administration with the Isenberg School of Management, at UMASS, Amherst. He is a Massachusetts native and a proud Red Cross blood doner since high school. Rob lives in Longmeadow with his wife and four children.
Mike joined the Red Cross in 2016 and is currently Chair of the Volunteer & Mission Capacity Building Committee. Mike is also on the Northeast Disaster Team responding to fires and local disasters. In his position as VP of Emergency Planning and Electric Services for National Grid, he oversees the development and documentation of emergency response plans and the business resilience program across the US organization. Additionally, he is responsible for vegetation management, electric meter testing and labs, and the engineering / standards labs. Mike has been instrumental in coordinating the partnership the American Red Cross currently enjoys with National Grid.
Tim Nelson has been the Amherst Fire Chief since 2010. Chief Nelson was added to the Board of Directors in 2011. Serving as the Holyoke Fire Chief prior. Tim is known as an accomplished professional who brings the full range of knowledge and experience to Amherst. Chief Nelson was recently added to a statewide task force to lend his expertise examining ways to improve safety and security for sports stadiums, concert halls, convention centers and other places where people gather in significant numbers.
John Santoro, M.D. currently serves as the Vice Chair Department of Emergency Medicine and Associate EMS Medical Director at Baystate Health in Springfield, MA.
John has served on the Board since 2007. He sits on the EMCAB (Emergency Medical Care Advisory Board as the ARC Mass representative where he is representing the interests and function of the state Red Cross Chapter. This advisory board functions under the DPH. We review and recommend changes to the pre-hospital care services in the state.
John attended St. Bonaventure University and State University of New York Upstate for medical school. He did his residency in Family Medicine and is double board certified in Emergency Medicine and Family Medicine.
He presently resides in Longmeadow, and is active with the Special Olympics, the Springfield Thunderbirds (professional hockey team), the Falmouth Road Race, and Six Flags Amusement parks serving as their National Medical Director.
Jeff was elected to the Board of the American Red Cross of Central Massachusetts in 2013. Jeff currently serves as Chair for the Central MA Chapter and sits on the Board Development and Engagement committee, Philanthropy Committee, and Heroes Among Us Committee. He is a partner and current chair of the Business Group of Mirick, O’Connell, DeMallie & Lougee, LLP, a 60-lawyer law firm with offices in Worcester, Westborough and Boston. His legal practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, equity financing, securities regulation, contract drafting and negotiating, business formation, corporate governance and general corporate and business matters. Jeff graduated with a BA from Duke University and received his JD from Boston University.
Prior to attending law school, Jeff handled major property losses as senior claim representative for Prudential Property & Casualty. In that capacity, Jeff witnessed the great work of American Red Cross volunteers as they assisted and comforted families whose homes had been damaged or destroyed by a fire. As a member of Prudential’s catastrophe team, Jeff spent several weeks in Charleston, South Carolina in the weeks following Hurricane Hugo working alongside the Red Cross and other relief agencies in the aftermath of Hurricane Hugo in 1989.
Jeff lives in Shrewsbury and is the father of two daughters and a son. He enjoys spending time with his family and friends at their lake house in New Hampshire.
Dr. Kishi Talati is a practicing Emergency Medicine physician at Baystate Health. He is the Medical Director and Chief of the Emergency Department at Baystate Franklin medical director since 2012. In addition, Dr. Talati is the Chief Medical Technology Officer for Baystate Health I & T.
Kishi grew up in Longmeadow. He attended Tufts University School of Medicine and completed his residency training in Emergency Medicine at Orlando Regional Medical Center. He returned to Western Mass to work for Baystate Health and now resides in Longmeadow.
Sean Teebagy is currently a medical student at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and the CEO of Sean Studies LLC (AKA Pillar Test Prep), a company devoted to helping students succeed on standardized test. Born and raised in Central Massachusetts, he is an alumnus of Shrewsbury Public High School, College of the Holy Cross, and set to graduate with a Medical Degree (MD) from UMass in 2023. As the youngest of 3 brothers, Sean attributes his commitment and leadership to his parents and their continued dedication to serving their own community. Skilled in entrepreneurship and online education, Sean has worked with the Pillar Test Prep team to help over 300 perspective medical school students achieve their goal score on the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT). Additionally, at UMass, Sean has focused on finding innovative ways medical students can aid front-line workers during the COVID19 Pandemic and worked with Worcester community leaders to flatten the curve. Sean recently served on the Board of Trustees of the College of the Holy Cross where he advised the college on various student affair initiatives, academic policies, and the financial health of the institution. In 2016, Sean was elected as the youngest member of the Board of Directors of the United Way of Central Massachusetts and remains involved in the impact the United Way has on the community.
Jeff currently heads up Emergency Management and Business Continuity for ISO New England. Is this role he is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation program for the organization. Jeff is the former Head of the Office of Enterprise Resilience and Data Center Operations for MassMutual. Prior to MassMutual, Jeff was the Emergency Management Administrator for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts. At MIT, he was responsible for oversight of the emergency management and business continuity program and programs related to crisis management planning, preparedness, response, and disaster recovery functions at the Institute. His past experience includes two years as the Director of the City of Chicopee’s Emergency Management Department and seven years at the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), where he managed several preparedness programs including the statewide business continuity program. Jeff is a Certified Emergency Manager (IAEM) and a Master Business Continuity Professional (DRII). He has been certified by FEMA as an instructor and as a Master Continuity of Operations Practitioner. He holds additional certifications in chemical weapons response, Weapons of Mass Destruction, Incident Command, and Homeland Security planning. He also holds a Master’s degree in Management from the Catholic University of America. Jeff represented MIT by serving on a White House panel along with the Secretary of Homeland Security and Secretary of Education discussing Active Shooter Incident and helping to draft guidance for educational institutions. In 2016 Jeff was named a 40 under Forty award by Business West Magazine. Jeff is a native of Western Massachusetts currently residing in the City of Holyoke where he serves as Chairman of the Board of Fire Commissioners and as the Emergency Management Director.