Girl Scouts of Western Washington

Mission

We build Girl Scouts of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. We invest in our community through Girl Scouts. Our community represents every race, ethnicity, income level, sexual orientation, ability, and religion; reflects a spectrum of gender identity; and connects across geographic locations. By focusing on those who are furthest from racial, economic, and social justice, Girl Scouts can be an instrument of change, promoting equitable outcomes for all.

Description

As the largest girl-focused youth development organization in Washington, we currently serve 15,000 K-12 grade youth and 11,000 Adult Members across 18 counties. We engage Girl Scouts in a variety of enriching, youth-led experiences through troops, camps, and theme-based skill-building activities that prepare them for a lifetime of leadership and achievement.

Because we believe all youth deserve the opportunity to benefit from life-changing Girl Scout experiences, we partner with community leaders to adapt our programs to fit their unique needs and remove barriers to participation. Last year, we provided 3,248 financial assistance grants totaling $276,871 to ensure each young person can fully participate in all of the opportunities Girl Scouts has to offer, regardless of their family's financial circumstance. In addition to provide direct assistance, we subsidize many of our more costly programs to ensure equitable access for most families. For example, the true cost of a week of staff-led overnight summer camp is $2,100 however our families only pay $860. We rely on community support to fund our financial assistance and subsidized programs. 

Your generosity provides opportunities for youth to engage in traditional Girl Scouting activities, such as camp and badge-earning, as well as new ways to get involved including school-based troops, troops in transitional housing programs, and programs such as Girl Scouts Beyond Bars that provide leadership training to youth and parents affected by incarceration. By combining youth potential with caring adult role models and experiential learning, Girl Scouts develop a strong sense of self, positive values, challenge-seeking behaviors, healthy relationships, and community problem-solving skills. Girl Scouts outshine their non-Girl Scout peers across all five leadership outcomes. The leaders of tomorrow need your investment today.

Council Leadership

Staff Leadership:
Andrea Anderson, Chief Executive Officer
Justine Miley, Interim Chief External Affairs Officer
Kherlen Cox, Chief Financial Officer
Julie Wendell, Chief Mission Delivery Officer
Nichole Franko, Chief Operating Officer

Volunteer Leadership: 
Board Chair: Shelley Whelan
1st Vice Chair: Dana Henderson
2nd Vice Chair: Geeta McCormack
Secretary: Elke Suber
Treasurer: Ann Ardizzone

Board Members:
Amy Betts
Carla Anderson Skogland
Dan Rutter 
Derek Williamson
Elizabeth Hunter
Erin Jones
Jeanne Schreuder
Maja Larson
Mara Krieps
Melissa Dyk
Michelle Flowers-Taylor
Robert te Winkel
Steve Ricco
Tara Smith