Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania CEO Natalye Paquin Selected to Serve as New Chief Transformation Officer for Girl Scouts of the USA

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 17, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- After five years of service as President & CEO of Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania (GSEP), Natalye Paquin, Esq., has been selected by Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) to serve in a new role from the national headquarters, Chief Transformation Officer (CTO). Girl Scouts is an organization that has thrived on its ability to grow and change to meet the needs of girls in today's world. In this position, Paquin will further this movement on the national level, creating a sustainable and competitive program to serve girls into the future, building upon time-tested Girl Scout values.

"We are continually impressed with the transformative leadership Natalye has brought to the Eastern Pennsylvania council for the past five years, and we are thrilled to bring her on board at GSUSA leading the charge in advancing Girl Scouting across the country," said Anna Maria Chavez, CEO of GSUSA. "Her passion is contagious, her vision is inspirational, and we know her leadership will be of great benefit to Girl Scout councils nationwide."

GSEP's Board Chair Mary Stengel Austen, CEO of Tierney, has announced that current Chief Operating Officer Kim Fraites-Dow will add acting CEO to her title, effective November 1. A seasoned non-profit leader, Fraites-Dow has served as COO of GSEP for the past year and has demonstrated her commitment to the mission during her four years of service on the senior management team, previously as Chief Development and Marketing Officer. 

"Natalye has built a strong leadership team at GSEP that has been contributing to the collective success of the council, and I along with the rest of the Board have total confidence in their ability to continue to advance our progress," said Austen. "We are excited for the opportunity this presents to Natalye, the vote of confidence in GSEP this signals from national, and look forward to continuing to fulfill our mission under new leadership."

GSEP has been experiencing growth and momentum in 2015.  Earlier this year, the council launched a $9 million campaign titled "Campaign for Girls" focused on leadership development, under-served communities and outdoor programming. On Monday, September 21, the Girl Scouts will host a ceremonial groundbreaking at Camp Shelly Ridge in Lafayette Hill, Pa. to celebrate the $5 million capital investment into its camp properties for girls as part of the campaign.

Paquin was brought on as GSEP's CEO in 2010 following the merging of three unique Girl Scout councils in eastern Pennsylvania. In the years that followed, she successfully developed a strategic plan to unify the organization, grow and diversify membership and revenue, and modernize facilities and programming while maintaining a workforce of more than 300 individuals. Today, GSEP stands in the Top 10 largest councils out of more than 100 councils nationwide, and is the largest council in the mid-Atlantic region.

"I have been honored to serve the Eastern Pennsylvania council for the past five years and watch it develop into an extremely successful, unified organization, which is by no small measure due to the work of our incredibly passionate volunteers, talented leadership team, board and the incredible girl leaders we are all here to serve," said Paquin. "I look forward to seeing the council's continued growth, and I am excited to join the GSUSA staff to continue imagining and realizing what Girl Scouts can be to the modern girl and ensuring that we are meeting their unique needs."

In October, GSEP will launch an executive search for Paquin's permanent replacement.  She will officially begin her new role as Chief Transformation Officer for GSUSA on November 30.

About Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania

Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania (GSEP) is the largest girl-serving organization in Pennsylvania and builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.  GSEP serves more than 40,000 girls in partnership with almost 15,000 volunteers in Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton and Philadelphia counties. Today, 80 percent of women in leadership and executive roles in the U.S. were Girl Scouts.  Girl Scout alumnae comprise 70 percent of women in the U.S. Congress.  For further information about Girl Scouting, how to join, volunteer, reconnect, or donate, call 215-564-2030 or visit www.gsep.org. Follow @GirlScoutsEPenn on Twitter and like us at www.facebook.com/GirlScoutsEPenn!

GSEP Board of Directors Executive Committee Members:

• Mary Stengel Austen (Chair), Tierney
• Andrea Agnew, Comcast
• Anne Baum, Capital Blue Cross
• Christopher Cashman, Independence Blue Cross
• Michael Hanlon, Esq., Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC
• Maria Kraus, BioClinica
• Julia Rafferty, Esq., Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP
• Leslie Stiles, PA Conference for Women

For more information, contact:
Jennifer Richards
Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania
215-564-2030 ext. 1035
[email protected]

SOURCE Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania

Related Links

http://www.gsep.org