Working locally and internationally

a real heart for the people we serve and knows how to make organizations effective,” Nyenhuis said. “She certainly has helped to do that here at Americares. Christine is well-prepared to lead Americares to even greater impact in our community, nation and the world.”

As the chief development officer, Squires has contributed to the growth in Americares’ annual cash revenues, which rose from nearly $39 million in 2014 to about $60 million in 2019. Those totals included cash contributions, grants, securities and other revenues.

“That’s because of the great relationships we have with individual donors, foundations and corporate partners and because of the great team here and work that we do,” Squires said. “We’re really fortunate to have a very longstanding and loyal donor base, but we’ve really made efforts to expand our constituencies.

We’ve got the tri-state area, which is really important, but we’re also making sure we’re reaching out in other parts of the United States.”

Before joining Americares in 2016, Squires served as chief operating officer for Physicians for Human Rights. She also served as managing director of development and outreach for Human Rights Watch and spent 10 years as vice president of marketing at UNICEF USA.

Since its founding 40 years ago, Americares has delivered more than $18 billion in aid to 164 countries, including the United States.

Among crises in recent years, it responded to the Ebola outbreak in west Africa from 2014 to 2016; the Nepal earthquake in 2015; Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria in 2017; the ongoing economic and political turmoil in Venezuela; Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas in 2019; and last month’s earthquakes in Puerto Rico.

“What’s heartening is more of the general public is understanding that when a disaster strikes, it’s got long-term consequences,” Squires said. “They’re supporting us in being able to stay and help recover and rebuild.”

Its longer-term initiatives include more than 100 professionals who are providing primary care and mental health services in Colombia to families who have fled Venezuela.

At the same time, Americares has deployed 11 mental health specialists to treat survivors of the Puerto Rico earthquakes, a contingent of 14 in the Bahamas to support survivors of Hurricane Dorian and five relief workers to respond to a dengue fever outbreak in the Marshall Islands.

In Connecticut, Americares