Courtney Slanaker

Executive Director, Serving Southern Arizona, American Red Cross

By Tara Kirkpatrick & Loni Nannini

Courtney Slanaker is fueled by a personal motto – “Every interaction matters, your presence is power.”

Slanaker has led the American Red Cross of Southern Arizona since 2018, when she became executive director at age 26, with a bold vision for community resilience and safety.

Her region spans seven counties, serving over 1.4 million people. Under her leadership, the chapter’s 400+ volunteers dedicate 40,000 hours annually to disaster response, military community support and lifesaving blood collection. She also leads heat resiliency initiatives through strategic partnerships with the University of Arizona.

She has mobilized thousands of donations and volunteers to major disasters like Hurricane Harvey in Houston, the Camp Fire in Paradise, Calif., the Bighorn Fire in Tucson and the recent flooding across Kerrville, Tex. 

Recently named the Tucson Hispanic Chamber 40 under 40 Woman of the Year, Slanaker also volunteers for the Association of Fundraising Professionals and Tucson Chicks n’ Chaps.