Congratulations to Jamie Barry for receiving the Red Cross Committed Value Award. Jamie serves as the region’s Disaster Recovery Program Manager and displays relentless commitment to the Red Cross mission. She has played a key leadership role during the ongoing COVID pandemic, working with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Association and our recovery team to provide support those who need to isolate while they recover from COVID. She has positively impacted the lives of so many. Jamie creates trainings, develops processes, supports volunteers, and continually striving to improve our disaster recovery work. Her passion to the mission in her everyday work is inspiring!
Congratulations to Mark Zachem for receiving the Red Cross Value Award for Creative. Mark serves as a blood services collections Account Manager in greater Boston and has made substantial contributions to our team, especially during the pandemic. Through his network of partnerships and relationships across different service lines, Mark has leveraged long-lasting relationships in the city of Boston to ensure our blood supply remains strong. Mark has proven the value of a vibrant community-based blood program. He is a prime example of putting our creative value into action every day!
Congratulations to Renee Charpentier for receiving the Red Cross Compassionate Value Award. Renee serves as volunteer partner to the Greater Boston Disaster Program Manager as well as Disaster Action Team Supervisor. As we continue to work remotely with many aspects of our work due to the pandemic, Renee does everything she possibly can to keep the disaster team trained, feel appreciated and valued, and be sure we are organized and prepared. It doesn’t matter if we are responding to a disaster during the day or night, Renee works at all hours in such an understanding, compassionate and encouraging way that gets the job done. She is truly the glue that seamlessly got us through 2020 and she continues to play a pivotal role in keeping the Greater Boston Disaster team together in 2021. She embodies the definition of compassion!
Congratulations to Dorothy Cichonski for receiving the Red Cross Credible Value Award. Dorothy serves as volunteer partner to the Western Massachusetts Disaster Program Manager as well as Disaster Action Team Supervisor. Dorothy stepped up to help the disaster team navigate many challenges around how to continue to deliver services during COVID. She has worked tirelessly to develop best practices and job tools for our local teams to continue service delivery. Dorothy has mentored new volunteers and made themselves available at all times to team members who needed help with extra training regarding our RC Care Program. She has personally has called every single disaster volunteer on the Western team to encourage training, talk about engagement and check-in on their well-being, and most importantly, affirm their value to us. Dorothy is a true Red Crosser and someone everyone turns to for guidance and support.
Congratulations to Brittany Martin for receiving the Red Cross Collaborative Value Award. Brittany serves as the Development Operations Specialist and is the definition of a team player. She steps in and steps up with a smile and positive attitude. She team and offers guidance, support and best practices to make our work organized and strategic and offers herself as a resource and a teammate to brainstorm with, especially in the most complex situations. Brittany puts others first and always goes the extra mile by doing things that nobody else does like, for example, driving around to the Red Cross offices across Massachusetts to collect checks on the last days of December so we could make sure that all monies were deposited before the end of the year. Brittany lifts our collective and individual spirts daily and is a true collaborative colleague.
Congratulations to Aparna Kachoria for receiving the Red Cross Collaborative Value Award. Aparna currently serves as our regional Youth Strategy Lead, after having served in many different volunteer roles over many years. Aparna’s commitment and follow through as a leader, partner, coach and team member lends to her collaborative nature. Aparna has partners with and supports the 50+ Red Cross Clubs in high schools and colleges across the state. She supports them with activities, training, guidance and coaching to engage them and ensure their experience with the Red Cross is a memorable one. During the pandemic she and her team established a virtual club which meets monthly and has enabled all lines of service to offer youth engagement opportunities which has resulted in many successful partnerships. Aparna demonstrates the value of Collaborative in an outstanding way.