Bleeding for the Right Reasons with Linda Mathes | Episode 118
AUGUST 8, 2017
EPISODE 118 | AUGUST 8, 2017
True courage is found when we prioritize the needs of others over the needs of ourselves. When that happens, it can inspire us to do the profound and daring. For Linda Mathes, it’s pushed her into the spotlight of leadership. She serves as the CEO to one of the most highly regarded non-profits in the world, The Red Cross. When she sits down with Benjamin to chat, she sheds light on what it means to lead, and what it means lead when millions of lives are affected by your decisions.
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Guest Bio
Linda Mathes is the Chief Executive Officer of the American Red Cross in the National Capital Region which includes the District of Columbia; Virginia counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William; Maryland counties of Montgomery and Prince George’s; and cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas and Manassas Park, VA. Ms. Mathes is charged with responsibility to carry out the mission of the American Red Cross throughout this regional community and to support other communities across the country and around the world.
She was recently named in Washingtonian Magazine’s “100 Most Powerful Women.” She was selected for the Influential Women of Virginia Award in 2014. She was selected for the Women Who Mean Business Award 2013, a Most Admired CEO Award, and Readers’ Choice Award for Most Admired CEO of Nonprofit Organizations all sponsored by the Washington Business Journal. She was selected as a Project Inspiration Honoree 2012 and a 2008 Washingtonian of the Year, and 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 2008 Strategic Partnership award from the Homeland Security & Defense Business Council and the 2005 Golden Links Awards from the Board of Trade. Ms. Mathes was selected for the Project Interchange 2005 institute in Israel sponsored by the American Jewish Committee. She was a winner of the American Red Cross Tiffany Circle Award for employee excellence in 1986 and a finalist for the White House Fellows in 1983.
Ms. Mathes has given speeches, conducted seminars and published articles on such subjects as emergency preparedness and response, mergers and consolidations, role and management of the nonprofit, internal controls and management, working with media, strategic planning and fundraising.
She began her career with the Red Cross in 1973 at the Dallas County Chapter/Northeast Texas Division. She served in several leadership positions at the national headquarters of the American Red Cross in Washington, DC from 1978-1986; Executive Director of the Pittsburgh-Allegheny County Red Cross Chapter in Pennsylvania from 1986-1991; and 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 master’s 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 Organization Leadership at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Guest Links
The Red Cross (help by donating today!): http://www.redcross.org/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RedCross