Meet New Youth Board Member – Natalie Lucey

Natalie Lucey is a member of the class of 2013 at Mountain View High School and not only serves as Senior Class Vice-President, but is also President of her school’s Red Cross Club and Vice-President of the Red Cross Youth Council.  As if that weren’t enough, Natalie is also the Vice-President of Mountain View High’s DECA club, which introduces high school students to the business world through role playing exercises and tests at local, state and national competitions.

Natalie’s favorite classes include Leadership and English, and, as a member of her school’s Lightning Dance Team, she’s also discovered a passion for dance.  In addition, she plays for the Mountain View Thunder soccer team.

Serving as a Red Cross volunteer is a family affair for the Luceys.  Natalie’s sister was a member of the Youth Council and inspired Natalie to follow in her footsteps.   “I love the mission of the Red Cross and the history that comes with it,” explained Natalie.  Over the past year, she became a certified CPR and First Aid Instructor, and looks forward to encouraging other young people to join the Red Cross and bringing a new and fresh perspective to the board.

Natalie lives in Vancouver with her parents and two dogs, and her older sister attends Santa Clara University.

Colonel Daniel Kern Joins Board of Directors

Daniel was born in Portland, Oregon and has spent his entire career serving his country. He enlisted in the Washington National Guard in December 1971 and quickly progressed through the ranks. While his military assignments are too numerous to list, some of his more recent positions include:

• Washington Army National Guard National Training Center Project Officer
• Chief of Staff, Washington National Guard, Army Element
• Commander of the 96th Brigade Troop Command in Tacoma, Washington
• J3 Director of Operations Joint Staff, Washington National Guard

“I retired from the Washington National Guard in June 2012 after 40 years, six months and 19 days,” said Colonel Kern.  During that time, he not only rose from the rank of E1 Private to full Colonel, but also had bestowed upon him an extraordinary number of awards, including The Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal,  Armed Forces Service Medal and many, many more.  His education achievements, too, are considerable, and include graduating from the United States Army War College and a Master’s Degree in Strategic Study.

Daniel Kern has without a doubt lived by the pronouncement contained in one of his favorite oft-cited quotes from Theodore Roosevelt:

“Far better it is to dare mighty things to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the grey twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.”

Colonel Kern now looks forward to continuing to serve in a leadership role while bringing his skills to the Southwest Washington Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Ryan Nisle Joins Board of Directors

Ryan is a partner in the tax group at the law firm Miller Nash. He’s been with the organization for eleven years and splits his time between Miller Nash’s Vancouver and Portland offices. His expertise in tax issues led to an appointment to the Executive Committee of the Tax Section of the Oregon State Bar.

He first became aware of the Red Cross when he earned his first aid and CPR certifications as a Boy Scout and now, as a board member, plans to focus his efforts on providing the support and resources the Red Cross needs to perform its mission.

“I’ve always been in awe of the response of the Red Cross to local and global disasters,” he explained. Ryan believes that maintaining the funding required to perform those activities during difficult economic conditions is the biggest challenge faced by the local chapter.

Ryan and his wife, Michelle, who is a Clark County prosecutor, live in Vancouver. They enjoy most forms of motorsports and are big fans of the Oregon Ducks.

Darcy Altizer Joins Board of Directors

Darcy has worked for the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce for nearly four years. In addition to her Member Services role, she also oversees the 20-member Chamber Ambassador Team.

Prior to that, she served as the Community Partnership and Resource Development Manager of Vancouver’s EOCF (Educational Opportunities for Children and Families), an organization that seeks to strengthen families through early learning and child development education.

A 2009 alumna of Leadership Clark County, Darcy continues her involvement by serving as a session captain for the social service segment of the nine month program.

Volunteerism is a big part of her life, as evidenced by her involvement with the Dream Big Community Center, where she serves as Events and Fundraiser Chair, and the Community Military Appreciation Committee, where she worked as Media Director.

Darcy’s goals include helping the Red Cross to expand partnerships with local media and provide exemplary service to all members of the community, including active and former military personnel. She is excited about her role as a board member, saying, “I get to be a part of something larger than myself and help the community–and work with wonderful people.”

Darcy lives in Vancouver with her husband and they enjoy spending time boating and camping.

Meet New Youth Board Member – Hunter Simpson

Hunter is a sophomore at Hudson’s Bay High School in Vancouver, and lists English and Student Government as her favorite classes.

She became interested in volunteering with the Red Cross after visiting the Southwest Washington chapter’s booth at the Vancouver Farmers’ Market.

Eager to become involved, she joined Hudson Bay High School’s Red Cross Club and was subsequently appointed to the Red Cross Youth Leadership Council. In 2012, Hunter was honored to be chosen as a board member.

She believes her experience in student government will serve her well in this new assignment and she is anxious to learn everything she can. Hunter says her goals include supporting the organization by introducing others her age to the Red Cross, explaining, “I’ve had opportunities I never imagined for myself at 15, and it’s really exciting to know that I’m making an impact.”

Hunter lives in Vancouver with her parents, brother and two dogs.

Aaron Kraft Joins Board of Directors

Aaron works as a project manager for Veolia Water North America, a company that partners with local cities and counties to provide water and wastewater management services to ensure top water quality. He is an environmental engineer and has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration.

One look at his resume affirms the fact that Aaron is a strong advocate of community service.

In addition to his new post on the board of directors of the Southwest Washington chapter of the American Red Cross, he serves as vice-president of Enabled Veterans Outdoors, a non-profit that provides outdoor opportunities for disabled American veterans.

He also is a strong supporter of the Fort Vancouver Trust, where he was recently selected as a dancer in this year’s Dancing With the Local Stars fundraiser at the Pearson Air Museum.

Aaron hopes that by serving the community, he can inspire others, particularly local youth, to do the same. His goals as a Red Cross board member include securing resources in a tough economy and boosting the ranks of volunteers.

Aaron enjoys outdoor sports and taking trips to Las Vegas, not to mention his newfound passion for dancing. He is most proud of the “three beautiful women” in his life:  his wife Peggy, and daughters Brittany and Paige.