American Red Cross Illinois River Valley Chapter gets new director

The American Red Cross of the Illinois River Valley has named a new executive director.

Laura Muriello will lead a team of staff and volunteers in the chapter, which serves 1.1 million people across five counties, including Grundy, Kane, Kendall, LaSalle, and Will counties, according to a release from the American Red Cross.

Prior to joining the American Red Cross, Muriello served as the executive director of the Wood Family Foundation and the Pitch In program in Chicago, a nonprofit organization providing social-emotional learning, mentoring, and academic support to students in some of Chicago’s most underserved neighborhoods, according to the release.

Before that, she spent nearly 15 years working as a teacher, school administrator, and nonprofit executive, according to the release.

“We are thrilled to welcome Laura as the new executive director of the Illinois River Valley chapter,” Kellie O’Connell, CEO of the Red Cross of Illinois, said in the announcement.

“Her extensive experience in nonprofit leadership and education, along with her deep roots in the community, will be invaluable in furthering the mission of the Red Cross across the region,” O’Connell said in the release.

Muriello, a lifelong resident of the Illinois River Valley area and a graduate of Romeoville High School, is eager to bring her passion for community service to the Red Cross, according to the release.

“I’m honored to take on this role and build upon the important work of the Red Cross in the Illinois River Valley Chapter,” Muriello said in the release. “The Red Cross serves as a lifeline for those in need, and I look forward to collaborating with our dedicated volunteers and staff to carry out our mission of providing help and hope in times of crisis.”

Muriello holds a bachelor of science in education and social policy from Northwestern University and a master of arts in teaching from Dominican University.