Local non-profit Direct Relief announces Amy Weaver as next CEO
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The Santa Barbara-based non-profit, Direct Relief, announced today that Amy Weaver will be taking over as its next Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Weaver will take over for current Direct Relief CEO, Thomas Tighe, who has led the organization for 24 years now. Weaver's new position will be effect starting May 5th, 2025. In the meantime, Dr. Bryan Scott will continue as interim CEO until May 4th, then he will transition into interim Chief Operating Officer until that role is filled.
In a letter to Direct Relief employees, Mark Linehan, Chair of the Board of Directors, wrote, “Amy is a truly accomplished professional and an outstanding human being. In selecting Amy, we sought a leader with the caliber, passion, and experience to guide Direct Relief through the accelerating scale and complexity of the humanitarian challenges that lie ahead. She is widely known for being a deeply strategic and deliberate thinker–a force for change who always puts people first.”
Weaver previously served as Chief Legal Officer for the Fortune 500 company and is the current President and Chief Financial Officer at Salesforce.
Weaver is a longtime advocate for affordable housing and disaster response. She has also served on the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity International, providing on-the-ground volunteer support to Habitat in Kenya, Poland, and Puerto Rico and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Along with these accomplishments, Weaver is an attorney by trade, working in private practice in both the United States and Hong Kong, and as a legislative aide to a member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council. She began her legal career as a clerk on the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Weaver said, “I’m honored and excited to build on that foundation and help shape the future of humanitarian response. As global challenges grow more urgent and complex, Direct Relief has a responsibility not just to meet the demand for medical aid, but to lead the way in reimagining how we respond to a rapidly changing world. I’m inspired by the dedication and expertise of this incredible team, and I look forward to working together to drive innovation and make an even greater difference.”
