Nicole Sandford, a lifetime member of Girl Scouts, is the Executive Vice President and Global Board Services Leader at Ellig Group, an executive and board search firm that specializes in placing diverse candidates in senior leadership roles. Prior to joining Ellig Group, Nicole spent 27 years with Deloitte, where she held a number of roles including audit partner, founding member of the Deloitte Center for Corporate Governance, and National Managing Partner of Deloitte’s U.S. Regulatory and Operational Risk practice. Her work with large, complex organizations has focused on helping executives and boards in matters related to corporate governance, culture and compliance. Nicole is a member of the Stamford Public Education Foundation (SPEF) board, and is an emeritus member of the advisory board of the John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics. She has received numerous awards for her work related to corporate board diversity efforts, including The International Alliance for Women’s “World of Difference” award. Nicole was a proud and active supporter of her daughter’s Girl Scout troop for more than ten years. She is passionate about causes related to cancer and women’s health, acting as a volunteer driver for the American Cancer Society’s Road to Recovery Program, and a member of the Greenwich Hospital’s Breast Cancer Leadership Committee. She lives in Stamford with her husband and three children.
Governance
Board of Directors
Girl Scouts of Connecticut's Board of Directors is designed to ensure that members of have a voice in the decision-influencing process of the council. To this end, the bylaws of GSOFCT permit the inclusion of four girl members .
If you are interested in joining the collected voice of the Board of Directors, please review the position description and complete the age-appropriate form below.
- Adult Members
Please fill out the Board Member Nomination Form and return it to Governance. - Girl Members
Girls over the age of 16 are welcome to apply as a candidate. - Applications for 2020 are now closed.
All candidates will be interviewed by the board development committee. Selected candidates will be formally voted in during the Annual Meeting each April.
Why be a girl board member? Hear from past girl board members about why they loved it!
Council Delegates
Each year, service units elect delegates and alternate delegates to represent them at the council level. Delegates are integral members of their service unit and are responsible for attending council meetings, voicing concerns or questions from their service unit, and bringing back information to their service unit. They also vote on new members of the board of directors!
Did you know that Girl Scouts ages 14 and up and adults can be Council Delegates? What a great way to be a leader in your community! The nomination deadline has passed for this year. Nomination forms are due every December.
GSOFCT Bylaws
(amended April 24, 2016)
NEW! Check out the 2018-2019 Annual Report!
Download PDF Full Report | Fact Sheet
GSOFCT Board of Directors
Officers
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Nicole Sandford - President
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Pamela Scagliarini - 1st Vice President
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Pamela Scagliarini, Chief Operating Officer of Bridgeport Hospital and Senior Vice President of Operations for Yale New Haven Health System, brings her extensive experience in healthcare operations, process improvement and leadership development to GSOFCT. In addition to her twenty-plus year career in supply chain management and more recently hospital operations, she also serves as a Women & Leadership course facilitator at the Yale New Haven Institute for Excellence. In addition to GSOCT, she also serves on the Greater New England Minority Supplier Diversity Council Board. Pamela graduated with her M.B.A. in Health Care Management from the University of New Haven and was named Graduate Fellow. Pam serves as the Chairperson of the Board Development Committee.
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Liz McGovern - 2nd Vice President
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Liz McGovern is a seasoned insurance professional, having served the last 20 years with the voluntary benefits provider, Aflac. She has a diversified background in investments and insurance, education & teaching, coaching and sales. She is a member of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council, having co-chaired the Women’s Leadership Council and served on the Board of Directors. Additionally, she is a graduate and former board member of Leadership Greater Bridgeport. She has served as a member of other boards and advisory groups, with an emphasis on helping women and children. Her coaching and mentoring experience extends to years as an assistant coach and referee for women’s college basketball. Liz participated in Girl Scouts all the way through her senior year in high school. She credits her parents and Girl Scouts as the greatest influences in her life, both for the values they taught her and the friendships it fostered. Her love of the outdoors can be traced back to her early years camping with the Girl Scouts—she says every night is a good night for a campfire! Liz earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Fordham University, with a Masters, ex-thesis, from Penn State University in Athletic Administration.
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Carol Quinn Toomey - 3rd Vice President
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Carol Quinn Toomey is a director in Accenture's public service business. She’s been with Accenture’s Hartford, CT office for 32 years, having joined the company with a Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering from the University of Connecticut. Since joining Accenture, she has specialized in helping organizations successfully navigate change, particularly as relates to global change programs and large scale systems implementations. Carol is currently responsible for achieving Accenture’s vision to be the premier innovation and execution partner for the state of Connecticut, and university and nonprofit clients in Connecticut. She is passionate about bringing the best of Accenture every day to support her home state across a range of consulting and technology programs. Carol has been involved with various locally-based charities and organizations, including teaching children’s religious studies and serving on the board for a local chapter of the Spina Bifida Association for several years. She lives with her husband, daughter, and son in Portland, CT.
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Sarah Broderick - Treasurer
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Diana Mahoney - Secretary
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Mary Barneby - Chief Executive Officer
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Mary Barneby has served as the Chief Executive Officer for Girl Scouts of Connecticut since October 2012. In this capacity, she oversees the delivery of programs and services to nearly 30,000 girl and 16,000 adult members throughout the state of Connecticut.
Mary has demonstrated leadership and a strong commitment to the advancement of others through her successful career in the financial services industry where she has held senior roles for more than 30 years. She has also been an active and enthusiastic volunteer leader in a number of community-based and national not-for-profit organizations throughout her business career, with an emphasis on the advancement of girls and women. She was a Girl Scout in Brooklyn, NY and attributes the challenge of earning badges to her drive for achievement of tangible results in her personal and professional lives as an adult.
Mary is a graduate of New York University and holds a Master of Business Administration in Finance from Fordham University. She completed post graduate coursework in finance at the Wharton School. She has served as both a Director and the President of the Financial Women’s Association of New York, a professional organization with more than 1200 members. From 1992-1996, she was Chair of the Board of the American Heart Association’s New York City Affiliate and served as National Chair of the AHA’s Investment Subcommittee during that time. In 2008, she was a recipient of the Women's Venture Fund's "Highest Leaf Award" for her efforts as a mentor and role model to other women. She was also recognized by the YWCA of New York in their 37th Annual Women Achiever's Awards and acknowledged by the National Organization of Italian American Women as a “Wise Woman” in 2014.
In addition to her role at Girl Scouts of Connecticut, Mary serves as a Trustee of the First Investor Mutual Funds, a $13 billion mutual fund family and she is also a Governor Emeritus for the University of New Haven, where she currently serves as a member of the Advisory Boards for the School of Arts and Sciences and the College of Hotel and Hospitality Management.
Members at Large
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Richard Abrams
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Cheri Amado
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Alexia Anglade
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Kia Baird
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Dolores Ennico
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Dr. Jacquelyn Garofano
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Jonna Gerken
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Jonna Gerken served the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), FY18 President. In this capacity, she led 40,000-member international organization which encourages more women to enter and stay in engineering fields. She is also a project manager in the Global Transitions organization at Pratt & Whitney, a division of United Technologies Corporation (UTC). She manages global manufacturing source transitions to ensure timely approvals for cost, delivery & capacity improvements. At Pratt & Whitney since 2000, she has held numerous positions of increasing responsibility within both Operations & Engineering. Gerken holds a BS in industrial and management engineering and an MBA in technology development, both from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She received the 2019 Influential Women in Manufacturing Award, 2016 Pettit Family Foundation Women in Science Leadership Award from the Connecticut Science Center, the 2014 STEP Award from the Manufacturing Institute, the 2011 Pratt & Whitney Diversity and Inclusion Award, and the 2006 SWE Distinguished New Engineer Award.
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Erica Evans Gioffre
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Erica Evans Gioffre is an accomplished business leader with a proven track record of building high performing teams, which deliver results through strategic planning, disciplined execution, coaching, and development of individuals. Currently, she serves as Head of Client Engagement and is a member of the Management Committee at Hirtle Callaghan. In this role, Erica works to ensure clients have the optimal experience with the firm. Erica attended Fairfield University, is currently a member of the International Women’s Forum and is co-creator of the Investment Club for Grace Academy, a school serving under-privileged girls in the Hartford area. Erica also serves as the Investment Committee Chair and is a member of the finance and executive committees of Girl Scouts of CT. In addition, she is on the Advisory Board for the Damon Runyon Cancer Foundation. Erica’s introduction to the Girl Scouts was as a brownie in Mount Dora, Florida where she was raised, is a Lifetime Member of the Girl Scouts and a member of the Juliette Gordon Low Society.
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Elizabeth Haynes
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Bill James
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Bill James began his career with Merrill Lynch in 2008, followed by over five years at U.S. Trust, most recently as Vice President, Trust Officer. Bill returned to Merrill Lynch in 2017 as a Financial Advisor and is currently a partner in The James Fischer Group. Bill earned a Master’s of Science in Political Sociology from The London School of Economics, and a B.A. in Political Science from Hobart College. Bill served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Romania for two years where he taught English as a foreign language in a high school. Bill is a member of the Metropolitan Club of New York City, and is a member of the U.S. alumni association of The London School of Economics.
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Ashley Morrell
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Katie Nedder
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Adrienne Parkmond, Esq.
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Adrienne Parkmond, Esq. is the Chief Operating Officer of The Workplace in Bridgeport, a $25 million non-profit agency responsible for job training, business development and human services for youths and adults, including services for veterans, older workers, and at-risk populations. Adrienne is past President of the Board of the CT Women’s Education and Legal Fund and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance from Villanova University and a Juris Doctor from Quinnipiac University School of Law. She brings her change management and grant writing skills to Girl Scouts of Connecticut.
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Elise Sinha
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Leila Troxell
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Desiree Wolfe
Board Development Committee
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Jeanne Ambrosio
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Jeanne Ambrosio has been involved in Girl Scouts for over 30 years, holding various roles from troop leader to National Delegate three times. She served on the governance committee and is very excited to now serve on the Board Development Committee. As a registered nurse she worked in various areas, always involving children – from NICUs to school nursing supervisor. Her most recent position was as an adjunct instructor at Goodwin College. Now retired, Jeanne lives in Bristol with her husband Tony. They have two children in college. Jeanne’s daughter, Amanda, served on the Board of Directors of Girls Scouts of Connecticut in 2012.
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Yasmin Blackburn, Esq.
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Yasmin Blackburn, Esq. is a Senior Associate at Kidambi & Associates, P.C. in Trumbull, Connecticut, a boutique-business immigration law firm where Yasmin specializes in bringing multinational and executive managers, engineers, doctors, and professional athletes and coaches to the United States. She is also on the board of directors for the Foundation for Educational Opportunities, Inc. (FEO), a non-profit foundation focused on strengthening and supporting the community by fostering an increased heightened interest in academics and social issues while, promoting higher education and instilling a desire to succeed in and contribute to the Greater Hartford community. Yasmin has been a proud Girl Scout since the age of 6 and is a lifetime member. She receives great joy through Scouting and hopes to continue instilling that love in girls by leading the multi-level troop she started in 2010. In addition, Yasmin has been a Girl Scout Gold Award Mentor since 2013 and is currently the Pak treasurer for her son's Boy Scout Pack. Yasmin earned her J.D. at Temple University Beasley School of Law. She also holds a BA and MA from Iowa State University where she honed the grant writing and leadership skills used to this day.
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Marie Kulesza
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Janet Lewis
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Jade Melvin
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Pamela Scagliarini
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Pamela Scagliarini, Chief Operating Officer of Bridgeport Hospital and Senior Vice President of Operations for Yale New Haven Health System, brings her extensive experience in healthcare operations, process improvement and leadership development to GSOFCT. In addition to her twenty-plus year career in supply chain management and more recently hospital operations, she also serves as a Women & Leadership course facilitator at the Yale New Haven Institute for Excellence. In addition to GSOCT, she also serves on the Greater New England Minority Supplier Diversity Council Board. Pamela graduated with her M.B.A. in Health Care Management from the University of New Haven and was named Graduate Fellow. Pam serves as the Chairperson of the Board Development Committee.
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Elise Sinha
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Desiree Wolfe
Board Member EMERITUS
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Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz
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Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz, was sworn in on January 9, 2019 as Connecticut’s 109th Lieutenant Governor. Previously as Secretary of the State, she helped thousands of businesses grow, registered thousands of voters, cut bureaucratic red tape, honored veterans, and fought to keep elections fair. Lt. Governor Bysiewics’ first political office was serving as a state representative in the Connecticut General Assembly, representing the towns of Middletown, Middlefield, and Durham for three successive terms starting in 1992 until 1998. Lt. Gov. Bysiewicz graduated from Middletown High School, Yale University and Duke Law School. She is the author of Ella: A Biography of Ella Grasso, Connecticut’s 83rd governor.
