Red Cross executive says nonprofit forced her out after grant complaint

Levine says she did what employees are trained to do. She raised her concerns with the government relations director, who in turn directed her to the Corporate Ombuds. The Ombuds, the filing states, told her to investigate further. She interviewed colleagues, including another executive director, who she says then complained about her inquiry to the chief executive. 

Within days, Levine alleges, the atmosphere changed. A performance review landed on her desk questioning her “credibility,” a word she says had never come up in nearly four years on the job. She claims her supervisor warned her that colleagues were starting to see her as resembling a former employee who had filed a whistleblower suit against the organization, a comparison Levine took as a warning shot. 

From there, the complaint describes a steady narrowing of her role: exclusion from projects, the loss of government liaison and lobbying duties, an early recall from hurricane relief work, and removal from a Washington advocacy trip. In January 2025, she received a formal write-up for alleged insubordination tied to her handling of legislator meetings during the Los Angeles wildfires, even though, she says, she was following her supervisor’s own instructions. 

The HR piece is where the story sharpens. In February 2025, Levine says, she sat down with a human resources representative to lodge a formal retaliation complaint. The only remedy offered, she claims, was a transfer to another region, which she says would have stranded her donor relationships and government network. On March 4, 2025, she resigned, alleging constructive discharge. The same day, she says, HR declined to attend her mid-year review, which lasted eight minutes. Two days later, her last day was moved up, cutting her notice period short. 

Levine is seeking general, special, and punitive damages, and has asked for a jury trial. The allegations have not been tested in court, the Red Cross has not yet filed a response, and no judge has ruled on the claims.