Famous Formers Awards Program, 2020-2021

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Awards Luncheon & Celebration September 23, 2021

CEO & BOARD OF DIRECTORS THE GIRL SCOUT PROMISE CEO: Tracy Keller Board Chair: Barbara Tierney Vice Chair: Marisa Porto Treasurer: Luis Estrada Secretary: Sunny Smith Members at Large: Susan Blake Melanie Chavarria Amy Coyne Tricia Hudson Cheran Ivery Lu Ann Klevecz Catherine Magill Laura Morgan Dr. Michelle Penn-Marshall Carolyn Pittman Ellis Pretlow Ann Stenberg Jeff Thomas Carletta Waddler Claire Winiarek

On my honor, I will try: To serve God and my country, To help people at all times, And to live by the Girl Scout Law.

THE GIRL SCOUT LAW I will do my best to be honest and fair, friendly and helpful, considerate and caring, courageous and strong, and responsible for what I say and do, and to respect myself and others, respect authority, use resources wisely, make the world a better place, and be a sister to every Girl Scout.

Girl Scout Board Members Girl Scout Ambassador Morgan Lynch Girl Scout Ambassador Sarah Sass GSCCC Delegate Dr. Laura Sass

Building girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.

Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast has been honoring women leaders, nearly one-hundred Girl Scout alum, as Famous Formers for ten years. This year, it is a pleasure to welcome eight more honorees who exemplify courage, creativity, and tenacity, making them key role models to show young women what it means to be an empathetic and involved leader.

These women demonstrate civic outreach and volunteerism, both professionally and personally, and serve as examples to our Girl Scouts by modeling the positive changes that our girls can make in the world.

Thank you for being the leaders and mentors girls need and aspire to become! As a Girl Scout council, we aim to provide girls a safe place to discover their interests and follow their passions to make the world a better place. Providing role models like our Famous Formers is a crucial element of our program and helps nurture the leadership seed planted through the Girl Scout program. We realize that the need for female leadership has never been clearer or more urgent than it is today—and Girl Scouts has the expertise to give girls and young women the tools they need for success. Girl Scouts works. We’re committed to preparing the next generation of women leaders and believe when a girl can see the achievements of other women, she learns that she, too, can make an impact!

As we’ve navigated through societal, health and fiscal challenges as a nation over the last year and a half, many women leaders have stepped up, without fear, to help others. Many of them Girl Scout alum. This is truly a time to take stock in what leadership qualities and skills women bring to leadership.

What helps shape them into the leaders they become? We need more women leaders, and leaders of all genders can learn the traits these women model as we rebuild and create new updated paradigms of leadership.

Congratulations to our 2020-21 Famous Formers, our Future Famous Former, and to United Way, our corporate G.I.R.L. recipient! On this special occasion, we celebrate the leadership spirit in all girls and women and encourage the nurturing of that spirit to help them rise to their full potentials, because when they succeed so does society!

Sincerely, Tracy Keller Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast Chief Executive Officer

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KEYNOTE SPEAKER Dr. Barbara Blake Gonzalez Dr. Barbara Blake Gonzalez is the Chief Administrative Officer of the Dragas Center for Economic Analysis and Policy, Strome College of Business, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia. She was a chief contributor to the 2019 State of the Region report and was the first woman to present at the annual State of the Region. She is the parent of three girls, all Girl Scouts! Two have earned the highest honor a girl may achieve in Girl Scouts, the Gold Award.

MISTRESS OF CEREMONIES Bonita Billingsley Harris Dominion Energy is one of the nation’s largest producers of energy with over $78 billion of assets.

While the company employs thousands of employees, Bonita stands out as she promotes Dominion Energy’s dedication to its customers, the environment and the community with a deep commitment. She says that desire to help others, step up to responsibility and leadership all came from Girl Scouts. Bonita was also a 2019 Girl Scout Famous Former!

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SEPTEMBER 23, 2021 LUNCHEON & CELEBRATION OPENING Mistress of Ceremonies Bonita Billingsley Harris

PRESENTATION OF THE FLAGS AND GIRL SCOUT PROMISE WELCOME Barbara Tierney, Board Chair Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast

INVOCATION KEYNOTE SPEAKER Dr. Barbara Blake Gonzalez

FAMOUS FORMERS RECOGNITIONS CLOSING Tracy Keller, Chief Executive Officer Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast

❧ GIRL SCOUT FAMOUS FORMER HONOREE

Holly Deal Lieutenant Commander of Coast Guard Finance Center, United States Coast Guard Holly recalls camping with her troop over summer months and going on some amazing troop trips. The thrill of hiking in the woods and sleeping overnight in a cabin are memories she will never forget. She loved every minute of the five years she spent as a Girl Scout in the Richmond area. Being a Girl Scout taught her to appreciate new experiences and helped her develop a sense of adventure which she took with her as she became a leader in the United States Coast Guard.

During her time in Girl Scouts she learned to be a leader and to give back.

As an officer in the Coast Guard she continues to take on challenges such as helping during national crises that have included hurricanes Katrina and Sandy. She has shared those experiences and more during Girl Scout Pride Days that she has helped host at Coast Guard bases each year. As a mom she is excited for her two daughters to get involved in the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. Holly’s ability to help others and take the lead was recognized by the Department of Homeland Security who honored her with the Chief Financial Officer Award for Financial Management.

“Girl Scouts is a wonderful way to give girls a sense of adventure and to teach them the importance of giving back to your community.”

❧ GIRL SCOUT FAMOUS FORMER HONOREE

Cathy Fox Business Operations Manager The Adventure Park at Virginia Aquarium Cathy spent ten years as a Girl Scout during her girlhood. It was the start of her lifelong love of the outdoors and the inspiration for her career as an outdoor professional. She camped and hiked often with trips to Rag Mountain in North Carolina and places in California, New Mexico and Washington State. She is proud that she completed a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. Cathy also enjoyed a few seasons as a Girl Scout camp counselor, sharing her love for the outdoors and serving as a role model. After she earned a degree in Outdoor Recreation, Cathy continued to work with youth in the outdoors and has done so for the past 17 years. In addition to inspiring youth in her profession, Cathy also volunteers with Girl Scouts as a troop leader and parent volunteer. Cathy believes when girls challenge themselves in the outdoors through climbing, backpacking, canoeing or other activities, they find a special inner strength and their lives are profoundly impacted. She gives her time to support her daughter and other girls, giving them the Girl Scout advantages she experienced as a girl. Cathy knows first hand the benefits of Girl Scouting where she learned to conquer fears through outdoor challenges that spilled over in so many other parts of her life.

“I love having Girl Scouts visit the Adventure Park and getting to see them enjoy climbing challenges and working together. Girl Scouts is where I became a leader and was able to do problem solving with the support of a team of girls.”

❧ GIRL SCOUT FAMOUS FORMER HONOREE

Suzanne Garcia President/CEO, SeaHill Spa at the Cavalier Growing up in a single parent household in Virginia did not seem a disadvantage to Suzanne. Her mother encouraged her Girl Scout participation and celebrated when Suzanne earned a badge or learned a new skill.

When Suzanne set a cookie goal, she always reached it. Girl Scouts not only ignited her go-getter spirit, but gave her other marketing and life skills that she says stuck with her and helped shape the entrepreneur’s life. Suzanne has been a successful entrepreneur in the area for many years. After starting her own IT firm, she started Natural Elements Spa and Salon in Chesapeake and has since opened SeaHill Spa in Virginia Beach. Her plan is to continue to expand and open more spas! As one who works with dozens of employees, she says mentoring and coaching is one of the most satisfying parts of her job. She is involved as a volunteer in the area and was one of the founding members of the Women’s Initiative at Old Dominion University. Suzanne was recognized as one of the Top Forty Under Forty award by Inside Business magazine in 2013. Having a strong Girl Scout foundation is one reason she always finds time to give back to Girl Scouts today, whether it is opening up her spa for an after-hour party for Girl Scout alumnae or hosting a spa event for Cookie CEOs. “Girl Scouts offers girls opportunities to meet and be with women role models and helps them imagine a successful future. Something they don’t get anywhere else.”

❧ GIRL SCOUT FAMOUS FORMER HONOREE

Dawn Peters Associate Planner, Lincoln Financial Advisors One of Dawn’s favorite activities as a Girl Scout was selling Girl Scout Cookies. She was a Girl Scout for six years growing up in North Carolina, and remembers how important it made her feel when she wore her uniform to visit neighbors and her favorite teacher.

Those experiences organizing her cookie sale and following up on orders gave her a taste of success and helped her build confidence. She also loved earning badges and having leadership opportunities like being a troop patrol leader. Her time as a Girl Scout made it easy for Dawn to say yes to becoming a Girl Scout leader and supporting her daughters in the program. Fourteen years later, she can say it was well worth the effort and time. Both her daughters have earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award earned by a girl in Girl Scouts. For Dawn, a big part of getting her family involved in the program was to encourage them to disconnect from the tech world and get outdoors with other girls, a place to be with girls without pressure.

Dawn is a natural planner and has been a successful financial advisor since 1998. Prior to moving into financial services she was an attorney with the Norfolk firm of Breeden, MacMillan & Green. She served on active duty in the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps from 1991 to 1995 and was recognized as a Top Forty Under Forty presented by Inside Business in 1999.

“I am so proud to be carrying on this family tradition. My grandmother led a troop and so did my mother. Girl Scouting has remained relevant over the generations.”

❧ GIRL SCOUT FAMOUS FORMER HONOREE

Janet Roach Co-anchor of 13News Now Janet is an award-winning broadcast journalist who says the confidence needed to tell the stories to the community came from her Girl Scout roots. When her mother signed Janet up to be a Girl Scout, she signed up to be a leader as well. Janet says she was so proud of her mom for making sure she and her friends could be Girl Scouts.

The example her mom set was a lesson Janet would never forget. You don’t wait for someone else to do something when something needs to be done, you step up and take action. She says this guides her personally and professionally. Janet supports Girl Scouts by buying a lot of cookies and promotes cookies in broadcasts! She also volunteers on GSCCC’s Philanthropy Committee. Janet’s commitment to making a difference, something she learned as a Girl Scout, has been recognized through her work on many projects that include the documentary on the first Africans’ arrival in English North America in 1619. It won numerous awards including an Emmy and two national Telly awards. Her experiences as a girl showed her how important the choices we make are because they impact our future.

“Girl Scouts is about turning up the volume of voices of thousands of little girls and letting them know their opinions matter.”

❧ GIRL SCOUT FAMOUS FORMER HONOREE

Dr. Michelle Woodhouse Vice President for Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer, Tidewater Community College Michelle is a lifelong learner and a lifelong educator, both were encouraged during her time as a Girl Scout.

Making new friends, earning badges, wearing a uniform with pride, and working with other girls on projects were all things that Girl Scouts gave her. These are opportunities that helped her become a strong leader today. She feels the most important advice to give to a woman who is pursuing leadership is to make friendships and make them last. She has friendships that have lasted over 40 years, some made in Girl Scouts. She says having someone in your corner to support you through life changes can make all the difference. Over the years, she has encouraged many women as a mentor and friend. For that, she was presented the Young Professional Star Educator Award from the Urban League and MLK College Distinguished Service Award from Tidewater Community College.

Having the ability to build strong relationships and gain leadership skills were reasons why Michelle encouraged her daughter to be a Girl Scout.

Being able to see her daughter grow through the experience has been rewarding and has given her opportunities to support an organization that meant much to her as a girl.

“For many girls, Girl Scouts will be their first experience of being with strong, independent women who can serve as a mentor. The experience will build their self confidence and promote higher aspirations.”

❧ GIRL SCOUT FUTURE FAMOUS FORMER HONOREE

Sarah Noffsinger Middle School Teacher, Chesapeake Public Schools Sarah’s experience as a Girl Scout taught her many lessons, one that she keeps close at heart today is advocating for others and making the world a better place. Sarah believes that just because something does not impact you personally, does not mean that you shouldn’t care about it. An ODU alumni with a Bachelor’s of Science in Political Science, she was recognized as “Outstanding Student Leader” for her work making ODU a safer place for LGBTQIA+ students, faculty, and staff through education and advocacy. Sarah currently works as a Middle School Teacher for Chesapeake Public Schools. She formally worked in disaster relief, as part of the federal & state response to COVID-19 with the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.

Additionally, Sarah volunteers as Director of Development with the Transgender Assistance Program of Virginia and as a member of the Gold Award Committee at GSCCC. “It’s so important for girls to have a sanctuary where they can grow, learn, and take appropriate risks. Girl Scouts is that sanctuary. They need a space where they can truly be themselves and explore the topics that they are interested in without having to compete for resources, time, or a chance to learn something new.”

❧ CORPORATE G.I.R.L. CHAMPION

United Way of South Hampton Roads Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast (GSCCC) is pleased to present the G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker and Leader) Corporate Champion of the Year Award to United Way of South Hampton Roads. With a mission to identify problems too big for any one organization or indivdual to solve on their own, United Way is igniting change and making a difference through their community partnerships. GSCCC is one of many agencies benefiting from their partnership and generosity that has resulted in funding support for a wide variety of Girl Scout initiatives throughout Hampton Roads. Through United for Children, thousands of girls who would not have access to Girl Scouts otherwise received the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.

Thanks to United Way, the Girl Scout Community Troop delivery model is thriving and meeting the needs of a growing number of girls in Hampton Roads!

“In addition to academic skills, youth need a sense of belonging and purpose, the ability to set and pursue goals, resilience and perseverance to overcome obstacles, and teamwork skills to succeed in school and life. This social-emotional learning is foundational to our United Way’s Youth Success framework and why our partnership with Girl Scouts is so important. When we focus on children’s strengths and building engagement and connection, they become assets to our community for the present and the future. The Girl Scout Leadership Experience fosters self-discovery, healthy relationships, and empowerment to take action, which are critical skills for girls to build in order to be successful in life.”

United Way of South Hampton Roads President & CEO Michelle Anderson

Experience Girl Scouts all over again.

Join the Girl Scout Network at gsccc.org!

Saturday, January 22, 2022 The Dismal Swamp Trail Chesapeake Registration Includes: Race T-shirt, Race Timing and more!

Do you enjoy Girl Scout cookies? Then this is the event for you! Join us for the seventh annual Cookie Classic Run, hosted by Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast! ◾ 5k Trefoil Trek with Cookie Crawl ◾ 1-mile Samoa Stroll Fun Run! ◾ Can’t be there in person? Sign up for the “Do Si Don’t Show” virtual run!

Race proceeds support Girl Scouts, helping every girl be a winner!

Sponsorship opportunities available, contact philanthropy@gsccc.org

Registration open on the Events page at gsccc.org

YO U B E L I E V E We’re building our future -each dayin the lives of a generation.

WE AGREE

Member FDIC | TowneBank.com

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2020-21 Holly Deal Cathy Fox Suzanne Garcia Dawn Peters Janet Roach Dr. Michelle Woodhouse Future Famous Former Sarah Noffsinger Corporate G.I.R.L. Champion United Way of South Hampton Roads 2019 Joann Bautti Kate Godby Bonita Billingsley Harris Tricia Hudson Janice “Jay” Johnson Lisa Spiller Future Famous Former Michaela Britt New Category in 2019 Corporate G.I.R.L. Champion TowneBank 2018 Stephanie Adams Kim Curtis Michelle Ferebee Daun Sessoms Hester Vickie Kearn CAPT Lisa Schulz Charity Volman

Future Famous Former Sarah Buck 2017 Anne Conner Betty Wade Coyle Carol Curtis Katherine Glass Nicole Stuart Cecelia Tucker Nancy Welch, MD New Category in 2017 Future Famous Former Amy Godby 2016 Mary Kate Andris, Ed.D. Terri Hathaway, MA Ed. Kirkland Kelley, Esq. Eileen Livick Linda Rice, Ph.D. Mariah Rule Carolyn Tyler, M.Ed. 2015 Peggy Birkemeier Emma Brady Susan Colpitts Barbara Hamm Lee Khadijah Sellers Sylvia Weinstein 2014 Dr. Wanda Barnard-Bailey Dr. Lucy Gibney Susan Mayo Regina Mobley Janis King Robinson Jeanne Zeidler

2013 Carolyn Abron-McCadden Deborah Butler Ann Hoffman Raystine Johnson Ashburn Suzy Kelly Dr. Laura Sass Kirsten Talken-Spaulding 2012 Sharon Durrette-Hunt Sharon Gibson-Ellis Melissa Howell, Esq. Anne-Marie Knighton Mary Ellen Maxwell Andria McClellan Dr. Carol Simpson Marian Ticatch Rosemary Trible Charlotte Underwood *Ann Vernon Edith White 2011 Melissa Burroughs *Dr. Sandra DeLoatch Dr. Deborah DiCroce Kerry Dougherty Naomi Estaris *Rowena Fullinwider Vice Admiral Mary Jackson Tracy Keller Angelica Light *Meyera Oberndorf Judith Scott Betty Shotton Jan Trombly * Deceased

Congratulations to all of the Famous Formers Honorees!

Tricia Hudson, 2019 Famous Former

Learn more about Strategic Solutions at ssbytricia.com

Congratulations, Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast team for making us a Top Workplace!

Congratulations to 13News Now-WVEC Anchor Janet Roach, 2020-21 Girl Scout Famous Former!

Thank You To Our Sponsors PRESENTING SPONSOR

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TABLE SPONSORS Atlantic Bay Mortgage • Amy Coyne Barbara Tierney and Marisa Porto Carolyn Pittman • Dawn Peters • Dominion Energy Jeff Thomas • Palmer & Cay The Adventure Park of Virginia Aquarium United Way of South Hampton Roads • Seahill Spa at the Cavalier Tidewater Community College • Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer, P.C.