Judy Slatyer has commenced as CEO of Australian Red Cross, returning to Melbourne to take on the role after spending seven years in Switzerland as global Chief Operating Officer with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

In her first week, the ABC partnered with Red Cross to promote the Cyclone Winston Appeal. Slatyer got on the phones, took calls from donors and thanked them for their support. She was touched by their generosity and motivations for donating which ranged from fond holiday memories to having relatives living there that had lost everything. The Appeal with the ABC raised more than $1.2 million.

Slatyer compares her start at Red Cross with her first months at WWF.

“When I first joined WWF I used to pinch myself. Probably for the first six months I’d be talking with our members, seeing our projects in the field and pinch myself that there was an organisation that existed like this, and last week I found myself doing the same,” she said.

“As I listened to volunteers describe what they’re doing for Red Cross and what they get from it, as I watched some of the responses from the members to the cyclone appeal, I again started pinching myself. It’s such an amazing opportunity to be part of an organisation that is but one  part of a big Movement.”

In her first week Slatyer also attended a Red Cross forum on migration and diversity in Australia, where she was able to meet with staff and volunteers from around the country, and was humbled to hear about case workers’ experiences working with migrants.

In the coming weeks she will be launching Red Cross’ Vulnerability Report which provides recommendations for the justice system, particularly around reinvesting in programs that aim to reduce the number of people imprisoned in Australia and support prisoners to re-enter society and break their cycle of crime.

Given Red Cross’ huge service delivery and network of staff, members, volunteers and clients across the country, Slatyer will spend the next few months getting out to meet people and experience the services for herself.