Nice to Meet You: Kara Kinder
- NEIA Red Cross
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
We couldn't fulfill our mission without the dedication of our incredible regional volunteers. Finding those individuals and placing them in their perfect roles is an important job. Kara Kinder is our senior volunteer recruiter. She works with our volunteer services team to ensure each department and line of service has the volunteer support they need to serve our region.
Take a moment to learn more about Kara and her role within the Nebraska-Iowa Red Cross.
Q: Could you explain what your title means and take us through your workday or what projects you work on?
A: Being the senior recruiter means that I take on the responsibility of setting the tactics used to recruit volunteers into the Red Cross. My cohort Tiffany and I collaborate with the lines of service to make sure the need for volunteers is met. We are always trying to make the Red Cross volunteer experience as visible and accessible to as many people as possible. We do a lot of marketing and reaching out to different community entities with the help of the Red Cross workforce.
We have three or four major, nation-wide recruitment cycles where we focus on particular positions or lines of service. Our current one is “Spring into Action,” which is geared toward bringing in volunteers to disaster cycle services to meet the needs of severe weather season.
I also work on the largest Sound the Alarm event for the region every year. I collaborate with the chapter disaster cycle services to make sure we have enough volunteers to make the event a success.
Q: How long have you been with the Red Cross? Is this your first position with the Red Cross? If not, what was it?
A: I just had my three year anniversary the first week of April. This is the first job I’ve had with the Red Cross.
Q: What do you like about your work?
A: I love recruitment. I like the creativity involved in finding new ways to reach volunteers. I like making connections with people and talking about the work the Red Cross does. I like that I get to connect with different lines of service and all the chapters. I think recruitment works best when everyone in the organization is involved, so I like connecting with Red Crossers.
Q: What do you like to listen to during the workday?
A: I am on the phone a lot during the workday. When I’m not talking to someone I like to listen to the Max Miller YouTube channel “Tasting History” about cooking historical recipes. I also love classic country and 90’s music—like Willie Nelson or Green Day.
Q: In what part of the region are you located, and what do you enjoy about your community?
A: I live in Omaha and work out of the Heartland Office. I love Omaha. It reminds me a lot of how Denver was in the early nineties. I live in Midtown, and I love the local quirks of my neighborhood. I feel very safe in Omaha. I think it is a great size.
Q: How do you spend your time when you aren’t working?
A: I love to cook, and I love a good restaurant. I go to the movies a lot. I like to spend my PTO traveling with my friends and family. I also like to just relax and read snuggled up with my cat. I love Tom Perrotta, Gillian Flynn, Davis Sedaris and Kurt Vonnegut (among others).
Q: What has most surprised you while working for the Red Cross?
A: I think that the Red Cross has a dedication to best practices when it comes to recruitment. I guess I have been surprised by how dedicated the organization has been to sustainability and how many resources are available to the workforce. I’ve worked with some national non-profits and some grassroots non-profits; and I think I’ve felt the most supported working for the Red Cross.
Q: What is a Red Cross moment that sticks with you?
A: I deployed for disaster response for the first time this past summer to Sioux City. I think the whole two weeks was a learning experience for me. I got to work with some great people that are very good at what they do. It was very eye-opening to visit various shelters and to see the impact the Red Cross made in those communities.
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