Ashley Mott - Greater St. Louis Chapter

2024 Rookie of the Year

Belleville, IL, resident Ashley Mott saw volunteering at the Red Cross as a bridge between her work as a civilian at Scott Air Force Base (AFB) and her next career in social work. At Scott AFB, she was a logistics management specialist—planning and managing the entire lifecycle of medical resources to ensure effective healthcare delivery during routine operations, aeromedical evacuations, and disaster responses. 

Ashley served in the military from 2007 to 2013 at Offutt Air Force Base and moved to Illinois when her husband was stationed at Scott AFB in 2020. She began her Red Cross volunteer journey after hearing about the critical role the Red Cross plays in supporting military members and their families. She was further inspired by her dad’s work in the Navy as a correspondent with the Red Cross, connecting sailors with their families during deployment.

Ashley has accumulated an impressive 367 hours of volunteering in her first year with the Red Cross. She recalls participating in a Sound the Alarm event as one of her favorite assignments. During these events, Red Cross volunteers install smoke alarms and educate families about fire safety.  “While out surveying the community about their need for alarms, the fire department let me ride along in the fire truck to the next event—an amazing experience to see firsthand the dedication of our firefighters,” Ashley recalls, adding that volunteering has helped her grow more confident in her skills and more compassionate with every situation she responds to.

Michael Spencer—Northwest Arkansas Chapter

2024 Rookie of the Year

From taking Red Cross swimming lessons to working for Red Cross for 20 years, this Microsoft AI consultant returned to the Red Crossin 2024 as a volunteer and to a major role: the coordinator for sheltering and relief operations nationwide.

If Michael Spencer wasn’t sold on the Red Cross in his teens, he certainly built a bond to all that is Red Cross as a college student when his apartment complex caught fire and one of the residents tragically lost their life. Michael helped first-time Red Cross responders set up a reception center. They gave him a blanket which he still treasures to this day. His first national volunteer deployment was the Sept 11^th terrorist attacks when he was a 19-year-old freshmen at the University of Arkansas.

“After I saw how well we took care of the families who lost loved ones, I knew I always wanted to be a part of the Red Cross,” Michael said.  This Fayetteville, Arkansas, resident with hundreds of hours of service, has responded to tornados, floods, massive storms and hurricanes.   

His motivation for helping others is simple: “When disaster strikes, people lose everything familiar—their homes, their routines, and sometimes hope,” he said. “The Red Cross gives me the opportunity to bring hope to survivors. It also allows me to come together with amazing people and reminds me that the power of humanity is unlimited when we work together to help those in need.”

Rita Summerlin—Greater Kansas City and Northwest Missouri Chapter

2024 Rookie of the Year

Why does this retired Kansas City resident spend hours daily on Red Cross work? “I retired from Hallmark Card after 40 great years and wanted to stay active,” she said. “I have come to love the Red Cross and strongly believe that we really do alleviate suffering.  I have also met the greatest people, and the staff is terrific.” She started out as a disaster action team member and has helped shelter residents move to more permanent housing after disaster. Rita also works as a duty officer calling out volunteers and on chapter preparedness, coming up with plans for a range of Red Cross programs.

One event that really solidified for her why she volunteers came earlier this year. Rita and a volunteer partner responded to not one but two fatal home fires in one night.

“The handicapped son of the woman was so grateful we were there to help, and then at the hospital, the dad of the two boys hugged us,” Rita shared.

Glenda Hefley—Greater Arkansas Chapter

2024 Rookie of the Year

When Glenda Hefley was named 2024 Rookie of the Year by the Greater Arkansas chapter of the Red Cross, she had only been a volunteer for 11 months. But she stood out for her commitment to multiple Red Cross programs.

After retiring from a children’s hospital, Glenda became a school nurse, working part time tending to the needs of young students. In her time off, she responds as part of the Red Cross Disaster Action Teams to provide financial support and offer resources to people who often have lost everything from home fires or other disasters.

She also works with Red Cross Disaster Health Services. This program provides a range of health and mental health services to people affected by disasters, such as helping with medication replacement, working with people to recover their medical equipment, and providing mental health support. And if that was not enough, Glenda also volunteers as Disaster Duty Officer, serving as the person who calls out available volunteers to respond in the event of a home fire.

In 2024, Glenda chose the Red Cross over other volunteer opportunities because it brought her the greatest sense of purpose. “Every time I go out to help someone who has lost literally everything, particularly those living in mobile homes, trying to get on their feet, it breaks my heart and makes me realize how blessed I am to be able to help in a small way,” she said.

In her hometown of Little Rock, Ark., Glenda has had plenty of opportunities to join other organizations, but the Red Cross stood out as the place to commit her time. “No one can do everything, but with each of us doing a little bit to help others, we can do great things! I love people and love helping people,” she said.

Alexis Preston – Central and Northern Missouri Chapter

2024 Rookie of the Year

Unlike some who are not fully aware of all the Red Cross does, Alexis Preston saw the Red Cross in action on Jan. 26, 1978, when her parent’s house was engulfed in flames.

 “The fire started in the basement where my brother was sleeping,” she recalled. “It was 3 or 4 a.m. when we all made it out without injury, but the house was totaled. The Red Cross volunteers were so kind. They made certain that we had a place to stay that night and helped us find a place to rent.” 

Alexis Preston moved on—marrying a co-worker at her first job after college and finding a home in the town where she grew up – Gladstone, Missouri.  She has two daughters and 3 grandchildren. For more than 30 years, she was in administrative roles, working for executives in organizations ranging from the Kansas City Chief’s football team to American Century Investments.

In the spring of 2024, Alexis retired and started to volunteer for the Red Cross of Central and Northern Missouri, focusing on two blood donation programs. “When I called about volunteering, I learned that the chapter really needed help with blood drives. My daughter received a blood donation during a miscarriage, so I realized how important blood donors are to a person’s survival. I became a blood drive ambassador, signing in donors,” said Alexis. “I also am a blood services scheduling team member, recruiting other volunteers to help with drives across our chapter.”

It seems almost every hour of her day is spent volunteering somewhere –at the Red Cross alone she has volunteered 300 hours in the past 18 months.  “I like to help people, and I like to be the one to offer a human touch especially when so much of our time is spent looking at screens,” she said.  “I joined the Red Cross because of the variety of possible volunteer opportunities and most of all because I wanted to be a part of a highly respected organization that offers so many critical services to people in need.”

Jannel Hall—Southeast Missouri and Northeast Arkansas Chapter

2024 Rookie of the Year

In 2013, Jannel Hall woke up to a massive house fire and was forced to replace everything in her Jonesboro, Ark., home. In the middle of the night, she also had to find a place to stay for her two young children. “The Red Cross came that night to give me a voucher to help with my immediate needs, a list of resources I could turn to and kindness and sympathy,” she recalls. “I was so grateful for their help. I had to replace everything from clothing to dishes and silverware.” Years before, Jannel had moved from St. Louis to Jonesboro to earn a degree in psychology and counseling. She graduated from the local Arkansas State University with a bachelor’s degree and eventually went on to earn her Ph.D.

Despite years of volunteering for her church’s food pantry, it was not until 2023 that Jannel joined the Red Cross. “I never forgot the kindness the Red Cross volunteers showed me more than a decade ago,” she said.  Since then, Jannel has spent more than 100 hours serving as an ambassador for blood drives -- welcoming donors, assisting with check-in and guiding them through the blood donation process. 

She is also a member of the chapter’s Disaster Action Team offering emotional support, emergency financial assistance, and guidance on how to begin the recovery process.

She is reminded of her own experience at times.  “On one recent call we went to the hospital to meet with a man in his 90s who had suffered burn injuries in a fire that destroyed the home he shared with his son, who was in his 70s.  Both were disabled,” she recalled. “They were so grateful for financial support and the list of resources, and at their request, we were able to refer them to counselors who help survivors draw on their own spiritual resources. I thought back to the fire at my own house and was happy to be there to support them.” 

Susan Haller—Southern Missouri Chapter

2024 Rookie of the Year

Susan Haller’s first personal encounter with the American Red Cross was in April 2011 in Fayetteville, NC. when the state was hit by one of the largest tornados in its history. The storm caused $100 million in damage and eight fatalities. It also left towns and cities without food or water for days. “The Red Cross brought our little community of about six families living in a cul-de-sac, dinner for about a week,” she recalled “We had no electricity or water. The Red Cross volunteers came to our homes with pork chops and side dishes and cases of water.”

Fast forward to 2024 and Susan is looking for a sense of purpose after serving six years in the military. “I felt I was missing something,” she recalled. “I choose to volunteer with the Red Cross because its Service to the Armed Forces (SAF) booth was set up for the July 4^th Fort Leonard Wood event. I kept walking past the booth and finally went in to talk to Red Cross representatives there. That next Monday I signed up to become a Red Cross volunteer.”
Her initial Red Cross assignment was with programs supporting the military including emergency communications, financial assistance, and information and referral services for service members and their families.

Adding to her SAF work, Susan joined the chapter’s Disaster Action Team, which responds to local disasters such as home fires, floods, or storms. When tornadoes struck areas surrounding West Plains, MO in March 2025, Susan became a mass care lead and shelter supervisor in Hartville and West Plains. “In that role I was in charge of two separate Multi-Agency Resource Centers,” she said. “These centers bring together various disaster relief organizations in one location to provide coordinated, one-stop assistance to survivors.”  

Finally, Susan is training to become a volunteer with the Red Cross Government Operations Program. “I am taking the classes to be a government liaison. This position will serve as a bridge between the Red Cross Chapter and county emergency management staff across Southern Missouri.” All this has added up to Susan Haller serving an impressive 1,700 hours as a Red Cross volunteer in little over a year.