Blanchard took on the role of CEO and president of the nonprofit BakerRipley in 1995.[1] During her tenure, she grew the operating budget of BakerRipley to $220 million and instituted a neighborhood-focused approach within the organization.[4] Blanchard described her role as being focused "on the experience of people displaced by 'war or weather'", including helping people obtain US citizenship, employment, and a residence.[5] In an interview with Robert Denhardt, Blanchard has acknowledged how immigration can be seen as a contentious issue in red Texas, but stressed that "70% of the population of the area has come from somewhere else".[2] In Bruce Katz's 2013 book The Metropolitan Revolution, Blanchard stated her mission for BakerRipley is to "go where you're invited, do what you're asked to do".[6] During her tenure as CEO, she helped to provide service to over 500,000 people along the Gulf Coast each year.[7] Blanchard resigned from BakerRipley in 2017.[1]
When Hurricane Harvey struck Houston, Blanchard was consulted by government officials to help establish "the largest shelter" in the city to assist the storm victims.[8] Starting in 2024, Blanchard worked for Houston mayor John Whitmire as the city's chief recovery and resilience officer, bringing her experience with disaster recovery and weatherization.[9] She stepped down from the role in 2025.[10]