8:00 - 8:45 a.m.
8:45 - 9:30 a.m.
Agenda
Board of Directors Meeting
Annual Meeting Begins
Girl Scout Promise and Girl Scout Law Welcome
Board Chair Report
-Appointment of the Credentials and Elections Committees
-Credential Committee Report/Certification of Quorum
National Council Session Preview
State of the Council/Girl Scout Rep to the Board Panel
Board Mission Moment
Voting Results
Installation of Board Officers, Directors
Volunteer Mission Moment
Closing Remarks/Meeting Adjourned
9:30 - 10:00 a.m.
10:15 a.m.
11:30 a.m.
Breakfast, Gold Award Project Displays, Shopping, and Networking
Gold Award Celebration (see next page)
Event Concludes
2026 Gold Award Ceremony
Presentation of Colors
Welcome
Jane Clark, Gold Award Committee Chair
Leadership Remarks
Nancy Wright, GSGCNWI CEO
Words of Inspiration
Dr Romie Mushtaq, MD
Presentation of Awards
Jane Clark
Closing Remarks
Nancy Wright
Dr. Romie Mushtaq, MD
Retire the Colors
Dr. Romie Mushtaq is an awardwinning keynote speaker on stress, workplace culture, and leadership. She is known for blending brain science with practical strategies to create high-performing, compassionate workplaces. A triple board-certified physician with 24 years as a brain doctor and nine years as a Chief Wellness Officer, she brings unmatched expertise to the stage and the boardroom.
As the first Chief Wellness Officer for Great Wolf Resorts, Dr. Romie leads well-being initiatives for over 13,000 employees, transforming organizational culture through empathy, mindfulness, and science-backed systems She is also the founder of brainSHIFT, a workplace wellness and leadership consulting firm that has helped Fortune 500 companies, professional athletes, and leaders shift from burnout to peak performance
A proud STEMinist in Stilettos, she is a Lifetime Member, 2023 Local Host Committee Co-Chair of NCS/Phenom, and National Board Member for Girl Scouts of the USA. She believes in the power of education and mentorship for girls and women in science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine.
Her best-selling book, The Busy Brain Cure, offers an eight-week plan to heal burnout and restore focus for individuals and highperforming teams It has been published in nine languages and is a USA Today and Amazon bestseller
Dr. Romie’s expertise has been featured in TED Talks, Forbes, NPR, NBC, and dozens of national media outlets. With compassion, clarity, and sass, she invites every audience to brainSHIFT from burnout to breakthrough, bringing hope, healing, and high-impact leadership to every room she enters.
Learn more at drromie.com or follow her @DrRomie on social media
Officers
GCNWI Board of Directors
Jackie Barlow
April Morgan
Shannon Fuller
Victoria Tate
Directors
Duke Alden
Jill Ahern
Tess Boland
Val Bomar
Jillian Burstein
Paul Gariepy
Robin Goolsbee
Eunice Hawkins
Janet Hulet
Sara Kagay
Lara Liss
Rachel Mantz
President and Board Chair
1st Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Carla Michelotti
Jennifer Mikulina
Sarah Mills
Michelle Minon
Carol Murphy
Patricia Pelaez
Karen Pepping
Kathy Scherer
Lovetta Shaw
Hille Sheppard
Sepideh Smith
Kyle Stokien
Tatia Torrey
Monica Weed
Missy Wyatt
Sheryl Yasger
Girl Representatives to the Board
Mabel Buresh
Claire Costello
Leila Fofana
Mariam Mir
Anne Nelson
Kourtney Odems
Erin Smith
Kaylie Socie
Violet Worthington
Emma Wright
District Chairs
Pamela Oster
Melissa Young-Bridgeforth
Rebecca Zoltoski
Robin Moss
Yolanda Shannon-Albert
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
Delegates and Alternates
Christine Alfred
Levita Anderson
Belen Babb
Lisa Banach
Rose Barder
Becky Bennett
Aaliya Bhaidani
Meredith Bickell
Mirianna Bickell
Heather Bocox
Julie Brenner
Bethany Brinkworth
Loie Burrell
Carrie Cameron
Sandy Cervenka
Brenda Charron
Kristin Corbett
Kristin Costello
Ava DeMay
Jaida DeMoss
Kyra DeNormandie
Josie Diaz-Pope
Jaime Dovich
Haley Dovich
Sofia Fish
Giada Gambatese
Natalie Garling
Christina Gerber
Hazel Gibbs
Christine Graves
Scarlett Hardin
Anita Hart
Emily Heinle
Amanda Holben
Taylor Holland
Patti Huck
Jema Hudacin
Marcia Hundt
Sara Hunsley
Valerie Hunsley
Roze Jakubczyk
Bethanie Jakubczyk
Maureen Jamrock
Ginger Johnson-Fish
Christina Kallenborn
Chanel Kennedy-Bertrand
Cathyn Klatt
Gabrielle Kosche
Kathy Lakowski
Mary Landis
Patricia Lasley
Heather Leslie
Carol Macola
Beverly Macrito
Delegates and Alternates
Continued
Samiya McBean
Patricia McCoy
Dietra McKamey
Tina Melendez
Kathryn Mensch
Melissa Montejano
Deborah Muhammad
Alyssa North
Kourtney Odems
Holly Olson
Emily O'Neill
Marie Oskerka
Maya Paredes
Kelly Pavlik
Sara Phalen
Tresa Radermacher
Kelsey Riordan
Shana Robertson
Jackie Robinson
Sofi Rodriguez
Cheyenne Rogers
Ann Ryan
Theresa SaLee
Mashanda Scott
Fran Seibel
Evie Severe
Ashley Sharpe
Janet Skogsberg
Kaylie Socie
Erin Speck
Beverly Ann Stewart
Marianne Strumberger
Sara Sullins
Tina Sun
MiKayla Tomczyk
Justise Watts
Davia Wilkerson
Kimora Williams
Vikki Zack
National Delegates and Alternates
Madalyn Cook
Marty Devereux-Poch
Mikenna Doyle
Elise Dryier
Pamela Flowers
Lisa Funke
Jen Goldfarb
Joy Haddleton
Kelly Hardin
Scarlett Hardin
Hazel Harkin
Lindsay Hayden
Kayland Jones
Caroline Kansa
driana Kieffer
Tina Melendez
Mariam Mir
Faith Paulus
Rebecca Resman
Karen Schillings
Mashanda Scott
Heather Socie
Kenzee Stahl
Rachel Tochimani
Denise Urban
Rachel Veis
Nancy Wright
Kaelyn Yager
Gold Award Girl Scouts 2026
Stella Abarca
Lily Anderson
Emillia Anitescu
Belen Babb
Nuha Babool
Zenia Babool
Inika Bansal
Kaitlyn Bertrand
Aaliya Bhaidani
Riley Bliss
Phoenix Bridgegroom
Maggie Brown
Claire Costello
Katherine Crnokrak
Haley Dovich
Margaret Fitzgerald
Our Fashion Footprint: A Girl Scout Patch
Hobby Fair Science
SMV Children’s Library
Helping Henna Hands (H^3)
You and Your Skin
Drones in Environmental Conservation
Gigi’s Playhouse Youth Advisory Board
Spice and Something Not So Nice
Flag Pole at Larson Residence
Friendship Bench
Stitching 4 Sanity
Upcycling with Kindness
Women’s Self Defense Information and Video
Paws n Whiskers
Reorganized Clothing Room at Connections for the Homeless
Gold Award Girl Scouts
2026 Continued
Leila Fofana
Kelsey Frese
Grace Fuller
Giada Gambatese
Jenna Gilani
Peyton Haepp
Evelyn Halbach
Landyn Haywood
Lily Hetzel
Madeline Hsieh
Kayla Jaskula
Skyla Johnson
Lia Jones
Emma Kanagy
Ghana Period Project
Addressing Depression and Building
Community Connections Through Music Within Nursing Homes
Paper, Personal Essentials, and Planting
Musical Healing
Braille Menus
Mental Health Matters
Building a Website & Growing Awareness for the Local Food Pantry
Mental Health Toolkit
Animal Welfare Club
Bat Bash!
Self Defense Classes
Connecting Children with Nature Through Literature
Creating an Inclusive Environment Through Golf
Body Positivity/Positive Affirmation Project
Gold Award Girl Scouts
2026 Continued
Ayra Keshwani
Nuha Khan
Brooke McDermoott
Chloe McGowan
Rifaa Meghani
Alyssa Merchant
Iman Merchant
Claire Nang
Ojikutu Abeedah
Addison Peterson
Grace Pickut
Ariella Poi
Alisha Punjani
Spark Your Career
Nuha’s Field of Flowers
Mental Health Support for Elementary
Students
Pink Box Project
Decode & Discover: Reading Mastery for Students
Rain to Resource
Think Ahead: Alzheimer’s Awareness Starts Now
Coding Explorers: Expanding Young Engineering Minds
Reading Encouragement: A Library and Classroom in Nigeria
Hasting Lake YMCA Gaga Ball Pit
Creating Community Through Theatre for Pre-teens and Teens
The Less Litter Project
Healthy Minds
Gold Award Girl Scouts
2026 Continued
Cailin Reidy
Aleah Ritcher
Kelsey Riordan
Alaya Roberts
Sara Saiki
Kate Selman
Kayla Smith
Lexie Smith
Esmeralda Spencer
Keigan Sprovieri
Liliana Terlep
Securing a Greener Future: Placing the Planet in the Next Generation’s Hands
Eyes on Owls: A Sustainable Makeover for Wildlife Education
Making Waves for Water Safety
Small Box, Big Impact: A Community Food Pantry at a Police Station
Rett Syndrome Awareness: Respect. Empower. Teach. Tell.
Hattie B. Williams Food Pantry Community Gathering Place
Another Perspective: A Guide for Parents with Kids who are Struggling with Mental Health
All Feelings Matter: Helping Kids Understand and Express Their Emotions
Helping Pollinators and Spreading Awareness
Sweet Cases
NAWS Shelter Donation Drive
Gold Award Girl Scouts
2026 Continued
Triniti West
Elizabeth Wigton
McKenzie Wilkins
McKenzie Young
Lilian Zenkich
Extending the Arts
Pet Pantries
Women in Golf
G.H.A.N.A. Ghana Hygiene Awareness Needs
Action
Sports for All
58 National Council Session Agenda Survey
During the Annual Meeting, attendees received a preview of the agenda being addressed at the 58 National Council Session taking place this July in Washington, D.C.
The GCNWI National Delegation invites you to share your opinions on the agenda items. Your response will help the delegation prepare to represent members of our council as they participate in discussions, debates, and voting.
Should you need a refresher on the agenda items that were shared as a part of the presentation or would like to read more before submitting your response, you will find a summary of the agenda items linked at the top of the survey.
The survey will close end of day, May 10, 2026.
Email nationaldelegate@girlscoutsgcnwi.org with any questions.
Scan the QR code or visit bit.ly/NCS2026surveyGCNWI to access the survey.
Thank you for taking the time to fill out the
Girl Influencing Paths at GCNWI
In the next few pages, we invite you to learn more about roles within our council where Girl Scouts can influence the future of our council and movement.
Girl Scouts who hold roles as girl representatives to the board, delegates, or alternates will receive this special patch to commemorate their participation!
Lend your energy, passion, and Girl Scout experience to influence our council’s governance process as a girl representative to our board of directors!
As a girl representative to the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana Board of Directors, you will:
Start your term by attending Camp CEO, our premier leadership camp. A gift from our board of directors.
Have a seat at the table and share your opinions and views when you attend and participate in our board of directors’ meetings, board retreat, and our annual meeting. Meetings are typically held in September, December, February, April, and May and are held on a weekday morning in downtown Chicago.
Represent the Girl Scout Movement and network with our board of directors and Girl Scout supporters at Girl Scout events, including Smart Cookies and Tribute to Achievement. Along with the other girl representatives to the board, determine a need in our council and create a plan to address it. Projects will be presented to our board at the May board meeting
Must be in high school as of the fall of 2026.
Serve a one-year term (August - July).
Scan the QR code or visit https://bit.ly/4trBOrx to learn more and apply.
Questions? Email Nancy Armstrong at narmstrong@girlscoutsgcnwi.org.
Apply by July 15, 2026
Become a District Delegate
District delegates serve as voting members of Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana and participate locally in our council’s democratic process. They serve as a link between members and our board of directors and vote on important council business, such as proposals to change our bylaws or electing the board of directors and our national delegates
Did you know?
Each service unit is allowed to select up to two district delegates to represent them.
Delegates can be adult members or Girl Scouts who are at least 14 years of age at the time of selection
Delegates can be brought on at any point during the year.
Delegates typically attend between five and nine meetings per year, most of which are held virtually.
Those who are interested in becoming district delegates should contact their service unit to see if there are spots available.
Service units may select delegates through their own process. Once selected, service units should notify their district chair of the selection
Not sure who your district chair is? Contact democraticprocess@girlscoutsgcnwi.org to be connected!
Learn more about our democratic process at https://girlscout.info/democraticprocess.
2026 National Girl Scout Convention
Join Girl Scouts from across the country at the 2026 Girl Scout Convention!
Washington, D.C.
July 20 - 25, 2026
This special gathering only happen every three years. It kicks off with National Council Session (NCS July 20 - 22, where delegates from the country and overseas discuss a on important issues to our movem
After NCS, thousands of Girl Scouts will attend the multi-day event from July 23 - 25, filled with workshops and speakers!
Scan the QR code or visit bit.ly/2026GSConvention to learn more and sign up for convention updates.
The Pinnacle Award
The Pinnacle Award honors Ambassador Girl Scouts (grades 11 - 12) who have demonstrated outstanding leadership through their Girl Scout experience.
To qualify for this award, Girl Scout Ambassadors must document their experiences by earning at least seven leadership points, which can be achieved through a combination of Girl Scout and other extracurricular experiences.
For a full list of ways to earn leadership points, please see the next page.
Leadership Points for the Pinnacle Award
Earned the Girl Scout Gold Award. (3 points)
Earned the Girl Scout Silver Award. (2 points)
Earned the Girl Scout Bronze Award. (1 point)
Served as a program aide. (1 point)
Served as a CIT (Counselor in Training). ( 1 point)
Logged 200+ hours as a CIT beyond training weeks. (1 point)
Served as a VIT (Volunteer in Training). (1 point)
Served as a Girl Scout representative to the board of directors (1 point)
Been named a Cookie CEO (1 point)
Attended Camp CEO (1 point)
Served as a district delegate, delegate-at-large, or alternate district delegate (1 point)
Served as a national delegate or alternate national delegate. (2 points)
Traveled with a GCNWI council-led trip, on a GSUSA destination trip, or on a service unit trip that is the equivalent. The trip must have included Girl Scouts from multiple troops, had an element of girl leadership, and taken place over at least three nights. (1 point)
Provided leadership in a girl-led GCNWI Girl Scout interest group (i.e., Global Girl Scouts, Creative Arts Club, Virtual Book Club, or LEGO Robotics). (1 point)
Participated in the Outdoor Leadership Club, attending at least six sessions. (1 point)
Provided leadership in a service unit. (1 point)
Provided leadership in a GSUSA advisory group, task group, or committee. (1 point)
Served in a leadership capacity outside of Girl Scouts (i e , church youth group leader, officer of a club or sports team)
May be used for up to two different leadership experiences (1 point for each, 2 points maximum)
In its second season, this podcast is hosted by our GCNWI Girl Scout Representatives to the Board.
Girls talk about life through their eyes and launch new episodes every other Wednesday!
Keep the conversation going in the comments. The girls will be watching and interacting with you!
Find Girl Scouts Unfiltered GCNWI by scanning the QR code or visiting bit.ly/GCNWIpodcast.
Hey, Graduating Girl Scouts!
Are you looking for ways to stay involved as an alumnus?
Become a Lifetime Member
Lifetime membership is normally $400, but alums under age 30 can get a lifetime membership for $200. Membership is transferable to any council across the movement.
Become a lifetime member when you renew your current membership!
Moving?
Find your local council.
If you are moving, you can stay involved with Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana, or find your new local council to get involved with
Scan the QR code or visit bit ly/4bSFfP2 and use the Council Finder to find your local council
Campus Girl Scouts
Continue your Girl Scout experience by joining or starting a Campus Girl Scouts Club!
Check with your school to see if a Campus Girl Scout Club is already going.
If not, check out the Campus Girl Scouts Guidebook to learn more about what Campus Girl Scouts is, how to structure your club, find members, and register your club!
Scan the QR code or visit bit.ly/3KkJas4 to learn more and view the Campus Girl Scout Guidebook
Explore volunteer opportunities with GCNWI!*
*Other councils may have similar opportunities Please contact them directly to learn more
This team reviews Gold Award proposals and mentors Girl Scouts pursuing their Gold Award. goldaward@girlscoutsgcnwi.org Gold Award Committee
Global Action Volunteer Team
This team helps to spread awareness about global Girl Scouts and travel opportunities. jfitzgerald@girlscoutsgcnwi.org
LEAP Committee
This team plans an annual weekend at camp for adult members and volunteers. leapcamping@gmail.com
Council Historians
This team preserves Girl Scout memorabilia and creates educational resources for Girl Scouts to learn more about the past. historian@girlscoutsgcnwi.org
Adult Recognition Team
This team promotes, reviews, and helps present formal Adult Recognitions annually. adultrecognition@girlscoutsgcnwi org
Become a Troop or Service Unit Volunteer!
Many troops and service units are looking for volunteers to assist in delivering the Girl Scout Mission to their areas.
If you would like to volunteer with GCNWI, please email customercare@girlscoutsgcnwi.org to be connected to the membership staff in your area.
You can also search for opportunities through our registration site at girlscoutsgcnwi.org.
District Delegates & National Delegates
District delegates are selected by their service unit to represent them in our local democratic process democraticprocess@girlscoutsgcnwi.org
National delegates are elected every three years and participate locally in our democratic process, and attend the National Council Session nationaldelegate@girlscoutsgcnwi.org
Learn more at bit ly/GCNWIdemocraticprocess
GCNWI Associate Board
Associate board members assist with major council fundraising events and experience leadership and networking opportunities
Learn more at bit.ly/4dRLJzA
Global Opportunitites
Volunteer with the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS).
Scan the QR code or visit bit.ly/4.dxNqV7 to learn more.
Congratulations on your graduation! As you head off to your next journey, always remember, once a Girl Scout, always a Girl Scout!
Smart Cookies
September 17, 2026
Chicago Cultural Center
Hosted by the GCNWI Associate Board, this cocktail reception event raises funds that directly support the girls in our council. The event will showcase girls’ leadership abilities as well as the many unique opportunities and badges that are offered through Girl Scouts.
September 26, 2026
Tinley Park Convention Center
Part kickoff for the new Girl Scout year, part expo, part recognition, and ALL volunteer appreciation! Join us for workshops, our adult recognition ceremony, volunteer resources stations, and so much more!
Badge Bash LEAP
Registration opens in May 2026.
40 Years of Taking the LEAP
Oct 2 - 4, 2026
Camp Juniper Knoll
LEAP is a camp-style program for Girl Scout volunteers. It is a chance to make friends, learn new skills, and have a little of your own Girl Scout camp adventure!
Registration opens in June 2026.
Celebrate the achievements. Frame the memories. Custom Gold Award Girl Scout frames. Order online or at the ceremony: girlscout.info/shopgoldaward
