Pam Ray was elected national president of the American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) during the organization’s 104th National Convention held Aug. 22-28 in Tampa, Fla.
“Thank you all so much for the trust you have shown today by electing and installing me as your national president,” Ray said from the convention stage. “I promise to do my very best to respect that trust and protect our mission and our organization.”
Before being elected to the ALA’s highest volunteer office, Ray held numerous leadership positions in the organization at the unit, district, department, and national levels. At the national level, she served as chair of several programs, including Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation, Children & Youth, ALA Girls Nation, Junior Activities, National Security, Membership, and Constitution & Bylaws. She also served on the National Executive Committee and ALA Strategic Planning Committee.
Ray is a member of Urbana Unit 71 in Illinois. She is eligible for membership through her late father, Clay Lofton, who served during the Korean War and World War II.
In her professional life, Ray was a nurse for 47 years and loved caring for people who needed help. As a nurse, she worked in the burn center, pediatrics, neurosurgery, and spent much of her career caring for head and neck cancer patients and their families.
Ray’s own family is an integral part of her life. She has been married to Harl “Butch” Ray for 46 years. They have two daughters and two grandchildren.
Pam Ray, ALA National President
