LA500 2026: Jacquelyn Clites

Why It Matters

The leadership change positions the LA Red Cross to better integrate with municipal emergency services amid rising wildfire risks, while highlighting the growing influence of women leaders in philanthropy.

Key Takeaways

• Clites took LA Red Cross helm in Dec 2025 after 14-year tenure
• Succeeds Joanne Nowlin, who retires after 36 years of service
• Previously led California Gold Country region, focusing on workforce empowerment
• Co-chairs Women in Philanthropy Board Engagement Workgroup
• Tasked with briefing city Emergency Operations on wildfire response coordination

Pulse Analysis

The American Red Cross Los Angeles Region entered a new era in December 2025 when Jacquelyn Clites assumed the chief executive role. After 14 years with the organization, including a stint as regional chief executive of the California Gold Country, Clites brings deep operational knowledge and a track record of strengthening workforce and donor engagement. Her appointment follows the retirement of Joanne Nowlin, a 36‑year veteran whose tenure shaped much of the region’s disaster response infrastructure. The leadership transition signals continuity while injecting fresh strategic focus.

Los Angeles faces escalating wildfire threats, demanding seamless coordination between humanitarian agencies and municipal emergency services. Clites was immediately tasked with briefing the city’s Emergency Operations Board on the Red Cross’s structural role and wildfire response protocols, underscoring the importance of integrated planning. Her prior experience in the Gold Country—an area regularly hit by wildfires—provides practical insights into mobilizing volunteers, managing shelters, and aligning donor resources with real‑time needs. Strengthening this partnership is expected to reduce response times and improve aid distribution during future disasters.

Beyond emergency management, Clites’s role reflects a broader shift toward inclusive philanthropy leadership. As co‑chair of the Women in Philanthropy Board Engagement Workgroup, she advocates for gender‑balanced governance and deeper community partnerships, trends gaining traction across the nonprofit sector. Her visibility in the LA500 profile highlights the growing recognition of leaders who blend operational expertise with advocacy for donor engagement. Stakeholders anticipate that her dual focus on workforce empowerment and strategic collaboration will drive higher volunteer retention and more resilient funding pipelines for the Red Cross and its partners.