Molly Schmidt joined the American Red Cross, Pacific Islands Region, as the Chief Operating Officer in 2024 and has recently stepped into the role as Regional Chief Executive Officer.

She has 21 years of experience working with international NGOs and community-based nonprofits on organizational development. Molly served in leadership roles with the Girl Scouts of Hawaiʻi, Girl Scouts of Northern California, where she has led operations overseeing multi-department fiscal management, donor stewardship, volunteer recruitment and retention, team capacity training, monitoring and evaluations, risk mitigation and compliance, communications, IT and system support, and facility management. Her work in the Hawaiian and Pacific Islands champions culturally grounded, ʻāina-based approaches to resiliency, emphasizing sense of place in strengthening community preparedness and mitigating disaster impacts.

Her passions for service to communities in need during disasters were forged when she was with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Southeast Asia Regional Delegation for 4 years post Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004. She worked alongside many Partner National Societies (PNS), including American Red Cross colleagues, focusing on health in disasters and capacity building of community-based first aid programs in RCRC national societies around the region. Disaster preparedness, response, and recovery were woven into the health emergencies work she led post SARS and during H1N1 Bird Flu that was rampant in Southeast Asia. At the IFRC, she coordinated an inter-agency collaboration communication network with all PNS, United Nations, WHO and other INGOs to share rapid developments.

Molly has had the pleasure of serving on two nonprofit boards where she helped them to scale and adopt nonprofit best practices and leadership training. Schmidt is active in the community as Secretary and President-Elect of the Windward Rotary Club of Oahu in Kailua and is a Cohort 9 graduate of the YWCA Patsy T. Mink Leadership Alliance. She is a Troop Leader for Girl Scouts of Hawaiʻi’s Troop 193, serves on the grant review committee for the Women’s Fund Hawaiʻi and is a member of Hawaiʻi’s Organization of Women Leaders. She is a graduate of Emory University in Atlanta, GA, a Hawaiʻi resident and lives with her partner of 22 years, 2 teenage kids, a black cat, and a golden retriever. 

For nearly four decades, Chita Blaise has dedicated her career to serving communities through a blend of non-profit organizations, public service and private business.  She began her journey with the Ford Foundation in Manila, Philippines and Ford Foundation in New York, as Assistant to the Communications Director, later, after relocating to Guam served as Public Information Officer for the Guam Judiciary.  After exploring private business and retail as Public Relations Manager for Liberty House (now Macys), she found her calling once again to join another non-profit organization.  Today, she proudly serves as Executive Director of the American Red Cross on Guam, continuing her lifelong commitment to making a positive impact.  Her path reflects a deep commitment to public service, fundraising and community resilience. 

John Hirsh is the Executive Director of the American Red Cross in the Northern Mariana Islands and brings over 24 years of dedicated service to the organization. His career has been defined by a steadfast commitment to humanitarian values, disaster response, and community resilience across Saipan, Rota, and Tinian. Through his leadership role, he has played a pivotal role in emergency operation responses during typhoons and other natural disasters in the CNMI and around the nation.

John has championed innovative approaches to fundraising and outreach which have resulted in outstanding financial and community support. His collaborative spirit has fostered strong partnerships with local government, businesses, and faith-based groups that have enabled the mobilization of lifesaving volunteers and resources. John is also committed to Red Cross programs that support military service members, their families and veterans. 

His leadership reflects the core values of the Red Cross by being compassionate, collaborative, creative, credible and committed. His 24-year legacy continues to shape the future of the Red Cross by ensuring that the people of the Northern Mariana Islands are supported, empowered, and ready to face any challenge. John has lived in the Pacific Islands region for the past 40 years and has worked and traveled extensively throughout Micronesia.

Whitney Thomas serves as the Regional Chief Development Officer for the American Red Cross Pacific Islands Region, where she leads strategic fundraising efforts across private philanthropy, corporate partnerships, foundation giving, and government grants. With a focus on sustainable growth and donor diversification, Whitney directs a high-performing development team and collaborates closely with regional leadership to advance mission-driven initiatives.

Prior to her current role, Whitney held several national positions at the American Red Cross, including Senior Program Manager for Fundraising Training and Cohort Programs, and Senior Program Manager for National Foundation and United Way Strategy. Her work has consistently driven innovation in donor engagement, grant strategy, and fundraising training—resulting in multimillion-dollar revenue growth and enhanced national fundraising capacity.

Whitney holds dual master’s degrees in Philanthropic Studies and Public Affairs from Indiana University Purdue University, and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Women’s Studies from Purdue University. She brings deep expertise in nonprofit management, grant writing, and cross-functional collaboration, and is passionate about empowering teams to achieve bold fundraising goals.

Renise Bayne is a seasoned disaster manager with the American Red Cross, marking 15 years of dedicated service this year. She has held key leadership roles, including Plans and Operations Officer for the City & County of Honolulu Department of Emergency Management and CARE Coordinator for the State of Hawaii’s COVID-19 Isolation and Quarantine Program. She also contributed to the repatriation of American Samoa citizens after border closures in 2020.

For more than 13 years, Renise has volunteered with the Pacific Islands Region, serving as Direct Services Lead overseeing all client-facing activities such as sheltering, emergency supply distribution, feeding, health, mental health, spiritual care, disability integration, and client casework. With over 30 deployments—including the 2018 Kīlauea eruption, the Kauaʻi landslide, hurricanes, floods, and wildfires—her experience spans Hawaiʻi, the continental U.S., and across the Pacific. She is also an Advanced Instructor for Disaster Response Services (“Train the Trainer”) and a Community Disaster Education and Preparedness Presenter.

Born in Keaukaha and raised in Panaʻewa, Hilo, Hawaiʻi, Renise graduated with honors from Wayland Baptist University and The Kamehameha Schools – Kapālama. As a 1995 line-of-duty death surviving spouse, she has been a strong advocate for Public Safety Agencies, providing consultation and crisis preparedness classes locally, nationally, and internationally on supporting Law Enforcement and Public Safety Officers, their agencies’ personnel and their families in times of crisis.

Renise’s greatest joy is her ʻohana. She is the proud mother of six children, grandmother of 24 (with #25 and #26 on the way), and caretaker of four furry companions.

With over 30 years of experience in volunteer management and nonprofit administration, Jaylene serves as the Regional Volunteer Services Officer for the American Red Cross Pacific Islands Region, overseeing programs across Hawaii, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa. Her leadership journey includes roles with the Hawaii State Bar Association and the Hawaii High School Athletic Association, where she helped strengthen community outreach and operational systems. In 2012, Jaylene established the region’s first Volunteer Services department, leading strategic development, implementing programs, building volunteer capacity, and ensuring alignment with national standards. Jaylene’s leadership is deeply rooted in her admiration for Red Cross volunteers—whose dedication and compassion continually inspire her. She remains committed to advancing the organization's humanitarian mission and fostering meaningful service opportunities across the Pacific. 

Julie Greenly is the Regional Program Director for Service to the Armed Forces and International Services (SAF/IS) with the American Red Cross, Pacific Islands Region. She leads a dedicated team supporting active-duty military, veterans, and their families across Hawaii, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa. Her team also provides support and outreach to the Compact of Free Association (COFA) nations, including the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Julie has over 20 years of emergency management experience and has directly supported over 20 Presidentially declared disasters. She has served in key roles within FEMA/State Joint Field Offices and on National preparedness committees. Prior to joining the Red Cross in 2022, she held leadership positions with the Hawaii State Civil Defense /Emergency Management Agency and the Pacific Disaster Center, supporting emergency preparedness and response efforts throughout Hawaii and the Pacific.

In her previous role, Julie contributed to Hawaii’s COVID-19 response as the CDC Foundation’s Hawaii Schools Team Operations Manager and as a part-time Public Health Advisor at the CDC’s Honolulu Quarantine Station.

Julie holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration and a graduate certificate in Disaster Management from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She was named the American Red Cross SAF/IS Employee of the Year in 2024.

Matthew Wells joined the American Red Cross in 2020 and serves as the Communications Director for Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, and NMI. His role is the publisher, editor, writer, photographer, videographer and sometimes cheerleader for the stories of the Red Cross and its people. The work done by the incredibly dedicated volunteers and employees is inspirational and needs to be shared.

Before coming to the Red Cross, Matthew was a radio producer and on-air talent in the Honolulu area for 20 years. While talking too much on a microphone, he also worked on building brand voices and a digital presence for businesses through social media marketing and creative copywriting.

Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Matthew has made Hawaii his home and hopes he does right by it. A graduate of Hawaii Pacific University, he is an avid writer, gamer, and reader who knows far too much about superheroes.