The American Red Cross serving Kansas and Oklahoma is proud to announce Loida Haffener Salmond as the new Executive Director for the Central and Southwest Oklahoma Chapter.

The Central and Southwest Oklahoma Chapter has its headquarters in Oklahoma City and serves 1.5 million residents throughout a 17-county area. Haffener Salmond steps into the role after three years as Executive Director of the South Central and Southeast Oklahoma Chapter, which has its headquarters in Shawnee and serves 800,000 residents within a 28-county area.

Haffener Salmond will oversee the operations and strategic initiatives of the Central and Southwest Oklahoma Chapter, ensuring that the American Red Cross continues to deliver critical services and support to the community. She will be responsible for leading a team committed to disaster response, blood collection, health and safety training, and support for military families.

Haffener Salmond will also serve as the Red Cross state government relations liaison for Oklahoma.

“I’m excited to lead the Central and Southwest Oklahoma Chapter as the Red Cross works to create or strengthen ties within local communities. The services the Red Cross provides can have a life-changing impact, and we know that partnerships are key to ensuring those services are accessible to the people who stand to benefit from them the most,” Haffener Salmond said. “Building relationships, a strong work ethic and integrity form the foundation to everything I do, both professionally and personally.”

About Loida Haffener Salmond

Loida Haffener Salmond co-founded Le Monde International School, a public charter in Norman, Oklahoma. The language immersion school was one of the first of its kind in the state. Before coming to the American Red Cross, Haffener Salmond was the Director of Administration, Strategy and Business Operations for the University of Oklahoma Athletic Department, where she played a key role in communications between the athletic department and OU fans.

During 12 years at OU, Haffener Salmond oversaw all events at the Lloyd Noble Center, including the Twister Relief concert at the Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium after the May 2013 tornadoes in central Oklahoma, one of the largest concerts ever held in the state. She was a member of the OU Emergency Preparedness team and assisted as a building safety coordinator. Haffener Salmond has also served as a commissioner for social services for the City of Norman.

Loida received a bachelor’s in business administration at the University of Tulsa in 1998 and a master’s in sports administration from the University of New Mexico in 2001.

Loida lives in Norman with her husband, Jeff Salmond, and their four children: Taylor, Tyson, Tinley and Troy.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.