May 4, 2026

Host Janet Michael sits down with Deb Fleming, Executive Director of the Greater Shenandoah Valley Chapter of American Red Cross to discuss how they're rethinking its role in the community — moving from an organization that serves communities to one that is truly part of them. They cover community mobilization, the maturity matrix self-assessment, and the upcoming Disaster Leadership Academy.

Key Topics Covered

• What is Community Mobilization? Working with local partners, nonprofits, and residents to assess community needs and build self-sustaining disaster response capacity — without relying solely on Red Cross staff or outside volunteers.
• The Greater Shenandoah Valley Chapter Covers 11 counties across Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland. Each community has unique demographics, income levels, ethnic groups, and needs — requiring a tailored approach.
• The Maturity Matrix An honest internal self-assessment tool the Red Cross is using to evaluate the strength of their community partnerships, operational strategy, and representation. The goal: identify gaps before trying to fix them.
• The Disaster Leadership Academy Born from a conversation between Janet and Deb over coffee, this program brings together community members, nonprofit staff, elected officials, and emergency managers to learn each other's roles before a disaster strikes. Starting first in Washington County, MD, with plans to expand to Winchester and the wider region.
• Why Cross-Sector Education Matters Siloed knowledge leads to confusion during disasters — who sets up shelters, who handles food, who manages communications. The Academy helps everyone speak the same language and know who to call.
• Volunteer Opportunities The chapter needs 37 more deployable volunteers to hit its regional goal. Volunteers can start local and many end up deploying nationally. The Red Cross reports a 94% volunteer satisfaction rate.

Resources & Links

• Sign up to volunteer: RedCross.org