By: Leslie Czernik, Northwest Region Board Member

Six months ago, Lacie Clark couldn’t imagine doing anything other than Services to the Armed Forces (SAF) within the Red Cross. As a military spouse, Lacie started volunteering with the Red Cross in 2017 while stationed with her family at Mildenhall Royal Air Force Base in England. While in Europe, she volunteered as the Station Volunteer Partner along with being a training services instructor and a youth preparedness presenter.

When she returned to the states and joined the Greater Inland Northwest (GINW) chapter of the Northwest Region, Lacie continued to support SAF by taking on the staff role of Senior SAF Regional Program Specialist out of Spokane, WA. Then an unexpected opportunity presented itself – the executive director position for the GINW chapter had an opening.

“I was asked to serve as the interim executive director as the search began,” said Lacie.

She was already familiar with interim roles, having served in three of them during her time supporting the European Division while working with the National Headquarters team on the International Humanitarian Law program. Yet the interim executive director role was different, and presented Lacie the chance to learn more and do more with the Red Cross outside of the military community, where her efforts were previously focused. 

“I didn’t know what an executive director did, but as I learned the role, I realized I could do more for the Red Cross in this position," Lacie said.

“As I spoke with people, I was amazed at the desire of volunteers to do more and learn more – for our military, in blood services, disaster relief, all of what the Red Cross does," Lacie said. "There are also great benefits in connecting with our board of directors in the chapter that I hadn’t utilized before.”

It was this realization along with encouragement from other staff and volunteers that gave Lacie the confidence to apply for the role.

On July 22, 2023, Lacie Clark was able to drop the "interim" from her title as she became the newest executive director of the American Red Cross Northwest Region Greater Inland Northwest chapter.

Lacie does admit that SAF still holds a special place in her heart, but she is eager to do more in the organization. Plus, she knows there are people around her to draw on as she brings her deep passion for volunteer engagement to the role.

“I have the benefit of knowing the region and knowing the basics of the Red Cross so I can focus on the specific work of this new role. I also know who to call for help when I need it," she said.

The Greater Inland Northwest Chapter of the American Red Cross Northwest Region is headquartered in Spokane, WA. It works to serve the communities of Chelan, Douglas, Grant, Okanogan, Ferry, Lincoln. Stevens, Pend Oreille, Spokane, and Whitman counties in Washington; and Kootenai, Bonner, Boundary, Benewah, and Shoshone counties in Idaho. For more information on the Greater Inland Northwest Chapter, click here.