Liberty woman to head new Mahoning Valley Red Cross

WARREN

The first director of the newly formed American Red Cross of the Mahoning Valley Chapter is Liberty Township resident Karen Conklin.

The Mahoning County and Trumbull County Chapters merged Thursday to create the Mahoning Valley Chapter.

Conklin, who officially starts her new position Aug. 1, was most recently executive director of the Humane Society of Greater Akron in Twinsburg, a job she says she took to honor the memory of her late daughter, Alexis, who she said loved animals.

“I’m thrilled to be coming back to work in the Valley,” she said in a press release issued by the Red Cross.

Conklin, who was chosen after a nationwide search, has other ties to the Mahoning Valley besides living in Liberty. She has also had leadership positions with the former Girl Scouts Lake to River Council, with headquarters in Niles, and the Butler Institute of American Art, and as business consultant.

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