The American Red Cross of North Carolina is excited to announce a new executive director for the Greater Triangle Area Chapter.

Ellen Gorham most recently served as the director of transformational giving for the Red Cross, helping oversee the organization’s national fundraising strategy and execution for principal giving. This included the Red Cross’s Climate Crisis Campaign to adapt its mission and serve frontline communities more equitably and innovatively and reduce the entire organization’s environmental footprint.

Prior to this, Ellen was the Director of Disaster Fundraising for nearly a decade at the Red Cross. Ellen and her team oversaw organization-wide fundraising in response to hundreds of large disasters including Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria and Florence, California Wildfires, Hurricane Dorian and Typhoon Haiyan. Ellen also oversaw the national CEO's fundraising efforts and the Red Cross’s domestic charity watchdog relationships, such as BBB and Charity Navigator.

Before joining the Red Cross, Ellen was a senior consultant with CCS Fundraising, she directed field operations for two U.S. Congressional campaigns, supported government relations for IAC.com and was a WorldTeach volunteer in Hunan Province, China.

Ellen received an M.P.A. from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University and a B.A. in Journalism from UNC-Chapel Hill. Ellen, her husband and their two daughters have lived in Raleigh, North Carolina for nearly a decade. She is a proud blood donor and serves as a board member for the Wake County Community Foundation.

“I am thrilled to serve Greater Triangle communities across our Red Cross chapter’s 10 counties,” Ellen said. “I look forward to mobilizing our local impact to ensure every person feels supported by the Red Cross’s critical mission of alleviating suffering in the face of emergencies.”

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.