Direct Relief’s New CEO Commands the Spotlight

Written by Maria McCall

The Santa Barbara Club buzzed at its recent Distinguished Speaker Series Luncheon, where club member Dana Newquist welcomed and introduced Amy Weaver, the new CEO of Direct Relief – the Santa Barbara-based global humanitarian organization. Direct Relief is active in all 50 states and more than 80 countries, with a mission to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies – without regard to politics, religion, or ability to pay.

Guests savored Chef Humberto Perez’ delicious vegetable lentil soup, paired with warm house-baked bread and butter before the talk.

Amy Weaver grew up in Gig Harbor, Washington, in a family so packed with lawyers she stopped counting at fifteen. With a judge for a grandfather, her father, and four aunts and uncles all practicing law, she joked that law school was a given – but said it also instilled a deep belief in fairness and justice that has guided her work ever since.

Weaver charmed the room with tales of her globe-trotting career – from her years in Hong Kong during the historic handover to China, to her meteoric rise at Salesforce, where she started as chief legal counsel before taking the leap to CFO, a move she called “terrifying, exhilarating, and unheard of” in the Fortune 500.

Guests adored her family stories: her husband Jeff Fisher, her junior-prom date turned-lifelong partner; their three sons born in three different countries – China, India, and the United States; and the family joke that the youngest is the only one they “don’t take anywhere.”

Weaver also recalled the moment she received the recruitment call, at 1 am in Warsaw, from Board Chair Mark Linehan about joining Direct Relief. “Well, I want you to know, we’re based in Santa Barbara. You’ll have to spend a lot of time in Santa Barbara. Is that okay?” she remembered him saying. “And I was very tired at the time, but I thought, is this a trick question? Has anyone ever said no to Santa Barbara?”

Weaver shared the rich 77-year history of Direct Relief and spoke about leading the organization into its next chapter, building upon the extraordinary legacy of Thomas Tighe. “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,” Weaver said.

Welcome to Santa Barbara, Amy Weaver – we can’t wait to see the impact you’ll make!

Attendees included Ian Meyer, Laurie Leis, Elizabeth Spies, Brea Burkholz, Hannah-Beth Jackson, Laurie and Thad MacMillan, Andrea Newquist, Sally and Curt Coughlin.