AUGUST 8, 2025 — SEATTLE, WA – The American Red Cross Northwest Region is proud to announce that Emily Volpone, Sheri Blumenthal, Karen Crumb, Jim Rose, Briana Taylor, Chris Lindberg and Monica Wellner have officially joined the board of the King County Chapter. The new additions have been onboarded over the last 6 months and will each serve a minimum 3-year term.  

“We are delighted to welcome these community leaders to our Board of Directors,” said Megan Dulgar, CEO, American Red Cross Northwest Region. “Their breadth of experience in such a variety of fields will be an amazing asset as we continue our work to deliver help to those in need around the chapter.” 

“We are fortunate to have a Board of such committed community leaders and are excited to welcome these new members to our team,” said Cara Bailey, Board Chair, American Red Cross King County Chapter. “Their values align well with the mission and service delivery of the Red Cross—from emergency preparation and disaster relief to blood collection, first aid and CPR training and support for service members, veterans and their families.  

ABOUT EMILY VOLPONE Emily Volpone currently works as Executive Vice President of Client Leadership at VML, a global creative agency. She has a passion for brand strategy and storytelling and has spent 12 years focused on delivering digital marketing solutions. Originally from Massachusetts, she attended Bates College in Maine and arrived in the greater Seattle area a decade ago.  Emily has volunteered with the Seattle Humane Society and is interested in Veterans Affairs.  

ABOUT SHERI BLUMENTHAL Sheri Blumenthal is Managing Principal at Blumenthal Business Consulting. She grew up on Mercer Island and graduated from the University of Washington. Her first role with the Red Cross was as a volunteer supporting volunteer training in the Northwest Region but has found a home on the King County Board. The position is an excellent platform for her extensive experience in business process transformation, strategic planning, and strategic goal setting to her role on the Red Cross board. 

ABOUT KAREN CRUMB Karen Crumb was eager to join the Red Cross Board and take advantage of every opportunity to engage across our humanitarian mission. She brings leadership and fundraising experience with Seatle Children’s Hospital, the Junior League of Seattle and for her family’s Parish and Catholic School. Karen is a graduate of the University of Washington and enjoys exploring the Pacific Northwest with her dogs and children.  

ABOUT JIM ROSE Jim Rose has previously served on two Red Cross boards, both in King County and the Bay Area chapter in San Francisco, CA. We are thrilled to welcome him back to Seattle and the mission of the American Red Cross. Jim is a gifted leader, a creative and strategic thinker. He has served on the boards of notable local organizations including ArtsFund, the Seattle Sports Commission, Washington State Association of Broadcasters and the ACT Theater. Jim is a self-proclaimed news junkie, is a champion for mentoring and understands the value of laughter in human connections. 

ABOUT BRIANA BENDER TAYLOR  Briana Taylor is a seasoned nonprofit leader and humanitarian with over two decades of experience in disaster response, community engagement, and organizational leadership. A long-time volunteer with the American Red Cross, she has held numerous leadership roles, including Vice Chair of the Bay Area Chapter Board of Directors and Pacific Division External Relations Lead. She is a member of the Red Cross women’s philanthropy group the Tiffany Circle. She has served on multiple nonprofit boards, including the Girl Scouts of Northern California and the World Foundation of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, where she has been active in global advocacy and fundraising. Her accolades include the Red Cross Clara Barton Leadership Award and the 2023 Humanitarian of the Year Award.  

ABOUT CHRIS LINDBERG  Chris Lindberg is a visionary technology executive and digital transformation strategist with over two decades of leadership in cloud services, AI-driven automation, and enterprise IT innovation. Currently an Executive Director at Ernst & Young, he has held senior roles at Accenture, Intel, Dell, and Gartner, where he led multi-million-dollar cloud transformation initiatives for Fortune 500 clients across sectors including finance, retail, healthcare, and technology. Beyond his professional achievements, Chris has demonstrated a strong commitment to community service. He served on the Board of Trustees for the Edmonds Public School District and the Rotary Board of Trustees, where he led fundraising efforts for music education.   

ABOUT MONICA WELLNER Monica Wellner is a highly accomplished healthcare executive and laboratory operations leader with over two decades of experience in clinical diagnostics, strategic planning, and nonprofit engagement. Currently serving as Laboratory Director at Seattle Children’s Hospital, she oversees specialty laboratories and national initiatives like PLUGS® (Patient-centered Laboratory Utilization Guidance Services), which she helped grow into a nationally recognized program generating significant revenue and advancing laboratory stewardship. Monica also has a strong history with the American Red Cross, having served as a laboratory supervisor and technologist, as well as a certified water safety instructor and lifeguard for over two decades.  

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.