Press release from American Red Cross:
(ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Dec. 20, 2016) – The Asheville – Mountain Area Chapter of the American Red Cross is pleased to announce that Allison (Alli) Trask has been named the new Executive Director. Trask comes to Asheville from Rome, Georgia where she served as Executive Director of the William S. Davies Homeless Shelter for nearly 10 years.
Trask is no stranger to the Red Cross. She served for years with the Northwest Georgia Chapter as a volunteer in many different positions including Client Casework, Disaster Assistance Team Responder, and Disaster Workforce Management Team lead. This experience led her to actively pursue a career with the Red Cross as she neared the fulfillment of her goals with her previous organization.
Calling this her “dream job”, Trask says she is honored to join a dedicated team of volunteers, staff and board members working to fulfill the mission of the Red Cross, which is to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.
When asked what drew her to the Red Cross, Trask said, “Far greater than the nostalgic pull of its deep history and images of the past, the amazing potential the Red Cross possesses to draw out and champion the power and spirit of grassroots and local efforts to effectuate change on a national and international level is, simply, intoxicating. For me, the magic is one part rich history and time-tested mission, one part culture promoting each of us to define our own Red Cross and weave it with that of others.”
Trask has a bachelor’s degree majoring in English with a minor in biology from the University of Georgia. Among many leadership roles in her community, Trask served as an advisor to the City of Rome and Floyd County, Georgia on local homelessness and house issues. She was an active volunteer not only with the Red Cross, but also with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Habitat for Humanity, Teach One to Lead One, Faith & Deeds Community Health, Rome Area Council for the Arts, and several other non-profit organizations.
“Alli brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to the Red Cross,” said Angela A. Broome, Regional Executive, Western North Carolina Region of the American Red Cross. “The Asheville – Mountain Area Chapter and the communities it serves will benefit from her proven abilities to develop and maintain relationships with clients from diverse backgrounds as well as with community leaders and elected officials.”
Trask balances her work and volunteer life with reading, yoga and what she calls adventuring (hiking, running, backpacking and exploring) with her two rambunctious Airedale Terriers, Tilda and Whitley.
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