JANICE DIPIETRO, founder and CEO of Boston executive growth firm Executive Leaders International, was recently elected as the new board chairman of the Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England. She was elected in May after serving as board treasurer.
What led you to getting involved with the Girl Scouts? In my youth, I was a Girl Scout, and it was a wonderful experience fostering feelings of belonging in a warm and caring learning environment. In recent years, our world has experienced a technology revolution, which has brought us incredible innovation in the way we communicate and share knowledge. It has also brought us to a place of isolation, where communications are not always based on truths and where self-esteem can be shattered in seconds. Couple this with the COVID-19 pandemic, which has significantly impacted the level of stress, anxiety, learning and overall sense of well-being our youths are experiencing. Helping to build girls of courage, confidence and character and guiding them to achieve their full potential is critical to effecting the change our world so desperately needs.
How has the local Girl Scouts organization recovered from the pandemic? The pandemic obviously had a significant impact on the Girl Scouts, as it did with all organizations. Our team was able to pivot to a virtual setting, but there is nothing like being back in person with our girls and volunteers. The recent and horrific events in the world have led families to seek out the Girl Scouts. At a time when children and young adults have been so negatively impacted by isolation and stress, the opportunity to share quality time with their peers, often outdoors and away from electronics, has been welcomed.
What do you hope to achieve for the organization as board chair? My critical goals as board chair are centered around expanding the delivery of our mission to a greater number of children and young adults throughout our council’s footprint. This will require assisting our CEO and staff in continuing to expand our program offerings and supporting development efforts and the needs of our volunteers. I am not sure our market fully understands the value of the experiences, programs and development opportunities we offer across various age groups. It is my vision that GSSNE be the premier council for young women in the U.S. as measured by the number of girls we serve and by affording them the opportunity to reach their fullest potential.
What goals or initiatives has new CEO Dana Borrelli-Murray brought to the board?Dana is the right leader at the right time for GSSNE. She is passionate about our mission and possesses the leadership skills to make the goals for the organization become a reality. Key priorities include prioritizing inclusion of all youths who identify with Girl Scouts and focusing on relevance and value of the organization/brand in a time when our mission of building Girl Scouts of courage, confidence and character is so vital to society’s greatest challenges.