Carmen Watkins was recently selected as the CEO of the Texas Gulf Coast Region American Red Cross. Her reputation as a community leader is so well established that it defies easy summarization. When asked to briefly describe herself, she shared: “I am a strategic, transparent, collaborative leader with a vision of change that allows organizations to grow into their mission.”

Carmen did not start off her professional journey in the nonprofit world. After working in the treasury department of a major corporation, she discovered that the corporate world could not provide her with the sense of fulfillment she was looking for. Seeking alignment with her values, she “left the corporate structure to pursue a career in nonprofit work and …never looked back.”

Carmen is no stranger to the Red Cross, having partnered with the organization many times going back as far as 2005. She has even deployed with the Red Cross on several occasions. “It is extremely gratifying to know that there are groups like the Red Cross who, in the midst of emergencies, are there to assist communities that need help.”

As a resident of Houston, she has lived through several disasters and been an active part of relief efforts. In the wake of tragedy, she is always a “willing servant”—ready to lend a hand to those in need.

One thing that stands out in Carmen’s background is her passion for meeting a community’s need wherever and whatever it may be. Throughout her career, Carmen has been a champion for underserved communities. After Tropical Storm Allison, she led the charge as part of the Urban League to assist Kashmere Gardens, a hard-hit area of Houston that had been overlooked by previous relief efforts. During Hurricane Katrina, she was instrumental in advocating for resources to non-traditional housing and the expansion of shelter access for evacuees coming to Houston.

With such an expansive career in the nonprofit space, Carmen chose to pursue a CEO role with the Red Cross. When asked what brought her to this decision, she explained:

“This is perfect alignment and intersection of all the work that I’ve done over my career.”

When speaking to Carmen, one immediately notices her passion for the Red Cross and its mission.

“I love the service delivery system. I love the thought of mobilizing volunteers and communities to serve the community. I knew that that was part of what I was being led to do when I saw the posting. It was absolutely a no-brainer.”

As a leader, Carmen is here not only to plan, but to learn. She puts a tremendous amount of faith in the Texas Gulf Coast Red Cross and its staff and volunteers. “The Red Cross is a fantastic organization, and I’m here to complement the work that staff does every day.  I will create long-term vision and plan to keep us moving forward.” “I am excited about this part of the journey.”

Carmen highlighted that there is always a need for more volunteers, especially when it comes to disaster preparedness and we are counting on individuals on the Texas Gulf Coast to answer to become active volunteers.

“This is really a time for all of us to roll up our sleeves, regardless of where we are, to come together and try to prepare our community for what could come. And certainly, we hope that it’s blue skies all the time. But if it’s not, [let’s be sure] that we’re ready, that we are resourced, and that we’re ready to move the charge ahead.”

If you are interested in volunteering or supporting the work of the American Red Cross, please visit: redcross.org.

Story By: Albert Conolly