Rosie Taravella, American Red Cross, Western and Central New York Regional CEO, is proud to announce the appointment of Colleen McCabe as Executive Director of the Southern Tier Chapter. Colleen has been working with the American Red Cross for three-and-a-half years in volunteer management and disaster preparedness.
“I am thrilled to have someone with Colleen’s skills and experience leading our Southern Tier Chapter,” Taravella said. “I know Colleen will help ensure the Red Cross will continue to be a vital presence in this community.”
“As a Broome County native, I am proud to serve this community and support the many amazing programs and services the Red Cross offers,” said McCabe. “I am excited to work in a new way as the Executive Director in the Southern Tier.”
McCabe started with the American Red Cross as a disaster preparedness coordinator in 2012. She went on to become the Regional Volunteer Manager in Central New York, and most recently served as the interim Executive Director in the Southern Tier Chapter. She has her B.A. in Political Science from SUNY Cortland and a Master of Public Administration degree from Binghamton University. She currently resides with her husband on Binghamton’s west side.
As Executive Director of the Southern Tier Chapter, McCabe will oversee Red Cross services in Broome, Chenango, Tioga and Tompkins Counties. In the twelve-month period between July 1, 2014 and June 30, 2015, those services included: providing direct assistance to 206 families following 102 fires and other disasters; teaching 8,690 people life-saving health and safety skills such as CPR and First Aid; opening 85 cases to help members of our military and their families; and helping collect 18,3644 blood donations.
The American Red Cross has launched an initiative to reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused by home fires by 25 percent over the next five years. The Red Cross is asking every household in America to take two simple steps: check their existing smoke-alarms and practice fire drills at home. As part of the Home Fire Campaign, the Red Cross is joining with fire departments and community groups nationwide to install free smoke alarms in homes that need them.
To schedule an installation, email smokealarms.st@redcross.org or call (607) 785-7207.
