Linda Mathes, winner of the 1998 DC Chamber of Commerce Business Leader of the Year award, has been Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the American Red Cross of the National Capital Area since 1991.
The Chapter became the American Red Cross of the National Capital Area July 1, 2002 as a result of a merger with the Montgomery County Chapter. A merger with the Prince George's County Chapter was completed July 1, 2003. The Chapter serves the District of Columbia; cities of Fairfax and Falls Church; and the counties of Fairfax, Montgomery and Prince George's. Effective July 1, 2007, Ms. Mathes serves as the Regional Chapter CEO for all the chapters in the National Capital Region, including Alexandria, Arlington County, Loudoun County, and Prince William.
Ms. Mathes currently is the elected Chair of the Association of Metro Managers which consists of the 50 largest, metropolitan Red Cross chapters in the USA. She is Chair of the Regional ESF-6 Mass Care, Housing, and Human Services Committee for the Greater Washington Metropolitan Council of Governments. She Co-Chairs the Nonprofit Emergency Preparedness Task Force of Greater Washington.
She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce, the Survivor's Fund Governance Board, Regional Human Services Working Group, Nonprofit Roundtable of Greater Washington, and People of American Foundation Advisory Council. Previously, Ms. Mathes was a member of the Board of Directors of Leadership Washington, Leadership Washington Class 1997, Potomac Officers Club, University of the District of Columbia Action Council for Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership, Board of Trade's Emergency Preparedness Task Force, TEC (The Executive Committee) and The Points of Light Foundation Kitchen Cabinet. She was selected for Project Interchange Institute of American Jewish Committee in Israel (November 2005).
Ms. Mathes has given numerous speeches and has conducted many seminars on such subjects as emergency preparedness and response, the role and management of the nonprofit, internal controls and management, working with the media, strategic planning, and fundraising. Published articles include "Student Activities—Who Needs Them? The Community, That's Who," Catalyst for Change, Journal of the National School Development Council.
She was a winner of the American Red Cross Tiffany Award for employee excellence in 1985-1986 and a finalist for the White House Fellows in 1982-1983.
Ms. Mathes began her career with the Red Cross in 1973 at the Dallas County Chapter/Northeast Texas Division where she served as director of youth services until 1978. She served as Executive Director of the Pittsburgh-Allegheny County Red Cross Chapter in Pennsylvania from 1986-1991. She worked at the national headquarters of the American Red Cross in Washington, DC, from 1978-1986 serving in several positions.
She was selected to serve as a management advisor for the President of the American National Red Cross on the President's Council for Policy Analysis and Evaluation where one of her responsibilities was development of the organization’s revenue generation policy. In the office of Financial Development she oversaw corporate, government and foundation funding; United Way and Combined Federal Campaign relations; and strategic financial development plans. She helped develop an $11 million Youth Employability Project contract with the Department of Labor and served as project director managing chapter demonstration projects across the country.
Ms. Mathes was selected to serve as the national Co-Chair of the nationwide American Red Cross Community Campaign in 1998, 1999 and 2000. She served as a member of the VA/DC State Service Council and as a management coach for the StarTrack program for future chapter executives.
Ms. Mathes is a cum laude graduate of Vanderbilt University and received her masters in public administration from the University of Southern California, Washington Public Affairs Center. She is a graduate of the FBI Citizen's Academy, American Red Cross Weapons of Mass Destruction/Terrorism Program at Clara Barton Center for Domestic Preparedness. and the Partners in Organizational Leadership at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Ms. Mathes now resides in Washington, DC.
