Bruce appointed as Red Cross regional executive director
She volunteered ‘wherever they needed help’
The Red Cross Greater Chesapeake Region recently named Misty Bruce to serve as the executive director of the Southern Maryland region.
The previous director, Dr. Mark Plaster, stepped down from the position in April, but will remain on the area’s board of directors.
Bruce is a graduate of Liberty University in Virginia, where she studied psychology and military resilience. She holds a professional facilitator certification and a master resilience training certification.
Bruce began volunteering with the Red Cross in 1995, and served on the organization’s Disaster Action Team. She said that she volunteered “whether it was responding to fires, getting people connected, or singing at [Veterans Administration] hospitals, wherever they needed help.”
More recently, Bruce served as a Service to the Armed Forces Regional Program Specialist in the Alaska region of the Red Cross. During her tenure, she worked on the program’s emergency communications network, established a dental assistant training program and worked to promote diversity and inclusion within the Red Cross.
Bruce said that “the stars aligned” when she was offered the local executive directorship, as she was “looking for some place that felt like home.”
“As soon as we got to Southern Maryland, we thought ‘this is it,’” Bruce said. As executive director, Bruce will focus heavily on recruiting local volunteers, managing relationships with local partners, managing the chapter’s board of directors and serving as the face of the southern Maryland chapter.
Bruce said that she aims to include diverse, young professionals on the board of directors.
“My primary goal is to build strong relationships with local communities,” said Bruce, adding that, “This fulfills our mission to mobilize local volunteers and donors.”
Bruce, who has held the position since April, says that the first month or so has been “invigorating,” and that she has spent much of the time touring Southern Maryland and meeting with local Red Cross branches. “I love meeting with Red Cross volunteers,” Bruce said. “I love hearing their stories and their passion for what they do.”
“Misty’s personality, management skills and board expertise made her a standout selection for this position,” said the Red Cross Greater Chesapeake Region’s CEO Scott R. Salemme in a press release. “Southern Maryland will benefit greatly from her experience, drive and compassion.”
In June, Bruce will be working on the organization’s Missing Types Campaign, which aims to target the unmet need for blood of all types. “The Red Cross provides nearly 50% of the nation’s blood supply,” said Bruce, adding that only 3% of age-eligible people donate blood yearly.
The Southern Maryland division of the Red Cross services Anne Arundel, Charles, Calvert and St. Mary’s counties. In addition to the division’s headquarters in Annapolis, the Red Cross also has offices in Prince Frederick and Lexington Park.
The Lexington Park office opened in 2017, and is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For emergency disaster assistance, call 410624-2040 to talk to a Red Cross case worker for assistance.