Linda C. Mathes, Chief Executive Officer, American Red Cross in the National Capital Region

Linda Mathes, selected as a 2008 Washingtonian of the Year, is the Chief Executive Officer of the American Red Cross in the National Capital Region which includes the District of Columbia; counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Montgomery, Prince George’s and Prince William; and cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas and Manassas Park.

Ms. Mathes is Chair of the Regional ESF-6 Mass Care, Housing, and Human Services Committee for the Greater Washington Metropolitan Council of Governments. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce and American Red Cross Retiree Association; and is a member of the Nonprofit Roundtable of Greater Washington, Emergency Preparedness Council of MWCOG, and Tiffany Circle.

Ms. Mathes was the winner of the 1998 DC Chamber of Commerce Business Leader of the Year Award. Other awards she has received on behalf of the Chapter include the Strategic Partnership award from the Homeland Security & Defense Business Council (December 2008) and the Golden Links award from the Board of Trade (December 2005).  Ms. Mathes was selected for Project Interchange institute in Israel sponsored by the American Jewish Committee (2005).  She was a winner of the American Red Cross Tiffany Award for employee excellence in 1986 and a finalist for the White House Fellows in 1983.

Ms. Mathes was the 2006-2008 elected Chair of the Association of Metro Managers, the 45 largest Red Cross chapters in the USA. She also was a member of the Board of Directors and graduate of Leadership Greater Washington, member of the Survivor’s Fund Governance Board, co-chair of the Nonprofit Emergency Preparedness Task Force of Greater Washington (2001-2009), member of the regional Human Service Working Group, 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.

Ms. Mathes has given speeches, conducted seminars and published articles on such subjects as emergency preparedness and response, role and management of the nonprofit, internal controls and management, working with 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.

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 in several leadership positions at the national headquarters of the American Red Cross in Washington, DC from 1978-1986. She served as Executive Director of the Pittsburgh-Allegheny County Red Cross Chapter in Pennsylvania from 1986-1991. She was appointed CEO of the American Red Cross of the National Capital Area in 1991.

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.