Lucrecia Smith got her start with the Red Cross in February 1985. Back then, she was a temporary worker, filling in for an administrative assistant in the Texas Gulf Coast Red Cross’s Health and Safety Department. This year, she celebrates forty years with the organization. 

From her temporary position, Lucrecia quickly went on to be hired as a permanent administrative assistant to the managers of TGRC. Things changed over the years– buildings, staff, management, and organizational structure, but Lucrecia has remained constant. She evolved with the organization, moving up the ranks from the Administrative Assistant I all the way through the Administrative Assistant III job class. 

During her time with TGRC, Lucrecia saw the construction of its current headquarters at 2700 Southwest Freeway which began in 1988. She has served under seven CEO’s and now works as the Executive Assistant to our current CEO, Shawn Schulze. Her work has been vital to the TGRC’s operations during disaster responses. Lucrecia has been the point of contact for elected officials during countless emergencies, including Tropical Storm Alicia, Hurricane Ike, and Hurricane Harvey.

Lucrecia is a firm believer in the Red Cross’s mission of alleviating human suffering and has dedicated her career to making it a reality. Despite all the changes she has seen over the years, one thing has remained true: “As a team, we’re all here to accomplish that one thing–and that is to help people during their time of need”. This is central to everything the Red Cross does, and Lucrecia looks forward to seeing the organization “continue to strive to be that one team helping those in need.”

Over a forty-year career, she has accomplished so much, but she is particularly proud to have received The Honorable Sheila Jackson Lee Community Achievement Award in 2022. Named for the late Houston congressmember, this award recognized Lucrecia for her decades of service to the Houston community. Speaking of the representative, Lucrecia said, “She was a pillar in our community. She believed in the Red Cross and its mission.”

It is hard to summarize her decades of impact in a short statement, but when asked for a final remark, Lucrecia related, “I have really enjoyed my work here working for the Red Cross. I’ve made it a lifetime career and I’m happy about it.” 

The Red Cross is equally happy to have her. Thank you, Lucrecia, for your dedicated service to the Red Cross Texas Gulf Coast Region! 

If you would like to learn more about the Red Cross and its mission, please visit: Gulf Coast | Texas Region | American Red Cross