Editor’s Note: In commemoration of Red Cross Month and Women’s History Month, we are publishing a series of #LeadLikeClara profiles featuring local women volunteer leaders who emulate the leadership characteristics of Red Cross founder Clara Barton.

Kate Byrnes decided to volunteer for the American Red Cross after the attacks on America on 9/11.

“You just felt like you wanted to be able to do something to help,” she said.

She has been helping ever since.

“I joined the Red Cross to deploy to disasters and to staff the shelters.”

Kate volunteers in Disaster Health Services where she is the regional lead in two primary roles: assisting clients who are affected by a disaster and protecting the health and safety of staff and volunteers who respond to them.

Kate has been a nurse since 1982, a nurse practitioner and a professor who taught nursing at Immaculata University for 20 years.

In shelters Kate works at a health station to help clients replace medications, manage chronic medical conditions like diabetes and treat minor injuries.

She has deployed to regions hit hard by hurricanes and tornadoes, but the disaster that stays with her the most was the Maui wildfires in 2023 that killed more than 100 people and burned thousands of homes.

“It's always hard to go through a disaster and there's always a long rebuilding process, but this one was hard because it seemed like a lot of them were going to have to give up the idea that they would ever be able to go back to life the way it had been, because that community was forever changed.”

During large scale disasters seeing so much suffering can be difficult for staff and volunteers. But the resilience of the people in Maui left an unforgettable impression on Kate.

“One of the things that's rewarding about being in the Red Cross is people are always so grateful for your help.” She said, “It's always rewarding to be able to be there and be part of the helping process and help them rebuild. Whatever small contribution you can make.”

Kate’s lead role in managing the health of staff and volunteers is also vitally important to ensuring clients get what they need when they need it the most.

She helps people who deploy to a disaster know what they are getting into and have the tools and support to deal with whatever challenge may happen.

Then, before the deployment she calls to explain the conditions they will face and makes sure that their health can handle it. She also encourages staff and volunteers on a deployment to take care of themselves and not be afraid to take a break.

“Nobody's going to be critical if they say, ‘I need to step back today’ or ‘I need a day off.’ It's perfectly understandable because it can get pretty intense.”

For Kate, the intensity is worth it.

“Volunteering has really been good for me. It gives you a sense of purpose.”

If Kate’s story inspires you to volunteer for the Red Cross, find out how at redcross.org/volunteertoday.

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- Written by Jenny Farley