GRAND RAPIDS (February 12, 2024) – The American Red Cross Michigan Region has named four new members to the Board of Directors for its West Michigan Chapter. The addition of Daniel Burr, Mandy Fidler, Jason Kitchen and Jackie Zhang, M.D., PhD, bring accomplished backgrounds in education, business, and emergency management to the chapter, which is located in Grand Rapids. Each member will serve for three years.

“Our new board members are leaders in communities across West Michigan,” said Tony Gerheiser, executive director of the chapter. “They each demonstrate business acumen and a life-long commitment to service. We look forward to their contributions in helping us advance the mission of the Red Cross.”  

The new members expand the membership of the board to 11 members. Meet the new members:

·       Daniel Burr has a long and distinguished career in business. He serves as a district manager for H&R Block. Before that, Burr led teams at OnePlus USA and Samsung Electronics, among other companies. Burr holds an MBA from the University of Kansas.

·       Mandy Fidler serves as emergency recovery manager for Paul Davis Restoration in West Michigan, which helps families that experience loss after emergencies. Fidler has 20 years of business development experience and is active with the Michigan Fire Inspectors Society and is also a member of the International Association of Arson Investigators. Fidler has supported the mission of the Red Cross, from organizing and hosting blood drives to installing smoke alarms.

·       Jason Kitchen is co-owner and CEO of Paul Davis restoration in West Michigan. Kitchen has more than 25 years of experience as a sales and marketing executive. Previous experience includes the national director of marketing for the Fusion Education Group, an organization that provides individualized education nationwide. Kitchen holds a degree in business administration from Grand Valley State University.

·       Jackie Zhang, M.D., PhD, is the Dean of the College of Health Professions at Grand Valley State University. He previously served as an investigator for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He earned an M.D. and MPH from Shandong University in China and a PhD in health administration from Virginia Commonwealth University.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Alicia Dorr / alicia.dorr@redcross.org / 616-306-8040

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.