Marketing Green: Wendy Cobrda ’87

Marketing Green

O S W E G O ★ ★ ★ 10 0 % O R G A N I C GREEN

As the chief marketing and revenue officer for Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways, Wendy Cobrda ’87 knows well the importance of green. “Those who live the life of Girl Scouts— living lives of purpose, being go-getters, innovators, risk-takers and leaders—are often called ‘Greenbloods,’” Wendy said. In addition to being the logo color of the 108-year-old national girls’ leadership development organization, green figures prominently in the youth members’ uniforms, badges and materials. But many people associate green with the most popular cookie flavor of the organization’s annual fundraiser—Thin Mints. The round mint-flavored cookie coated in chocolate represents 25 percent of the 200 million boxes of Girl Scout cookies sold nationwide every year. Wendy leads the team that manages marketing, public relations, product sales, retail sales, data and analytics for the 26 counties that make up the Girl Scouts of NYPENN Council. “It’s a great role for me because I work on big picture strategy for our council as well as on national movement committees,” Wendy said. “My focus is on telling the ever-evolving Girl Scout story. Our mission is to fuel female ambition—to let girls know that not only can they dream, but they can realize their wildest hopes and dreams by learning new skills and sharing their insights and experiences with others.” For Wendy, she found that sense of teamwork and comradery in the friends she made at SUNY Oswego. “I stay in touch with a core group of friends whose lives have become intertwined with mine,” said Wendy, a communication major who was active with WOCR radio and campus media as a student. “We continue to support each other through life’s twists and turns and advise each other on career matters. The best part is that we all want to see each other succeed and go out of our way to help each other.” She said that she is a “greenblood” in many aspects of her life—from her friendships with her Oswego Lakers to her former position at a market research consultancy called Earthsense, which discovered that many people “buy green not just to save the planet but to improve our health, save money and support businesses that are aligned with our core values.” “I live close to Green Lakes State Park and spend a lot of time walking our greyhound, Ozzie, enjoying the trees and the green-hued water,” Wendy said. “It’s one of my favorite places to grab a sleeve of Thin Mints and picnic.” Mary Ellen Kaier ’83 of Syracuse, N.Y., is executive director at Meals on Wheels of Eastern Onondaga County Inc. She has more than 30 years of experience in business development and financial management. Previously, she worked in the healthcare and insurance industries. John Young ’83 of Kirkville, N.Y., is director of facilities for the East Syracuse-Minoa Central School District, where he has worked for 24 years. Geoff Dunn ’84 of Dryden, N.Y., is the community preparedness coordinator for Tompkins County Department of Emergency Response. Previously, he was with the county’s Department of Recycling and Materials Management. Dawn Armanini Herman ’84 of Fairport, N.Y., is director of the college restoration program at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Bob Pagano ’84 of Boston, Mass., is CEO and president of Watts Water Technologies Inc. in North Andover, Mass. The leading global manufacturer of plumbing, heating, and water quality products and solutions was recently named among America’s Most Responsible Companies by Newsweek and research firm Statista. Daniel Vickery ’84 of Columbia, Tenn., is a retired technology education instructor for the Ballston Spa (N.Y.) Middle School. Michael Buckley ’85 of Manhattan Beach, Calif., is chief executive officer of True Religion Apparel Inc. Reporting to the company’s Board of Directors, he is responsible for developing and implementing the future vision and roadmap for True Religion. He previously served as CEO of Differential Brands Group and Robert Graham Designs. Robin C. Goldstone Garcia ’85 is executive director of the Alvin A. Dubin Alzheimer’s Resource Center in Fort Myers, Fla. Previously she served as deputy director of Florida’s Division of Blind Services, was executive director of Lighthouse of Collier and has more than 20 years of business experience in financial services, contracts, human resources and operations. Christopher Rock ’85 of Waterford, N.Y., is on the procurement team for General Electric Company in Schenectady, N.Y. Marjorie Murphy Consiglio ’86 of Yardley, Pa., is a human resources manager for Novecare GBU in Princeton, N.J.