Meet Our Senior Leadership Team
Along with the CEO, GSUSA's Senior Leadership Team guides the organization in the planning, development, and execution of initiatives and resources to benefit a diverse group of girls, volunteers, and staff across the nation—and the world.
Anna Maria Chávez
Chief Executive Officer
Girl Scouts of the USA
Anna Maria Chávez is a lifetime member of Girl Scouts of the USA and an award-winning community leader, whose leadership in public service and the nonprofit sector has been widely recognized.
Prior to accepting her current role as chief executive officer of Girl Scouts of the USA, Ms. Chávez served as chief executive officer of Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas. Before joining Girl Scouts, she was deputy chief of staff for Urban Relations and Community Development under former Governor of Arizona and current U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano. In this position, she promoted the governor's policies, programs, and initiatives through coordination and partnership with city, county, and tribal governments; federal agencies; and community organizations. Ms. Chávez served as the governor's policy advisor to the Arizona Department of Housing and advised her on strategies for coordinating housing and economic development; she also counseled the governor on issues impacting the Latino community. She was a catalyst for the creation of the Raul H. Castro Institute, a "do tank" focused on issues affecting the Latino community in Arizona with emphasis on education, health, and human services, as well as leadership and civic participation.
Before her deputy chief of staff appointment, Ms. Chávez served as Governor Napolitano's director of intergovernmental affairs from November 2003 to January 2007. She was also in-house counsel and assistant director for the Division of Aging and Community Services at the Arizona Department of Economic Security. As assistant director, she provided oversight for programs targeting food distribution for the hungry, shelter and supportive services to victims of domestic violence, refugee resettlement services, and shelter services for the homeless. Additionally, she oversaw the state's adult services programs, including adult protective services.
Ms. Chávez entered state service after working as senior policy advisor to former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Rodney E. Slater. Prior to this appointment, she served as chief of staff to the deputy administrator at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) in Washington, D.C. Ms. Chávez was also previously chief of staff for SBA's Office of Government Contracting and Minority Enterprise Development. In this position, she provided direct policy, program, and managerial support to the offices of Government Contracting, Size Standards, Technology, and Small Disadvantaged Business Certification and Eligibility. In addition, Ms. Chávez served as an advisor to senior SBA and White House officials on a variety of policy issues including civil rights, affirmative action, minority and small business development, procurement reform, and electronic commerce.
From 1996 to 1998, Ms. Chávez acted as legal counsel for the Federal Highway Administration in Washington, D.C. She was instrumental in developing departmental policies in response to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Adarand v. Peña and assisted with the reauthorization of the agency's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program as part of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). Ms. Chávez also served as an attorney advisor in the Office of the Counsel to the President.
Lauded for her leadership, Ms. Chávez is among The NonProfit Times' Power & Influence Top 50 and has been recognized as one of the 100 Women Leaders in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) by STEMconnector. She is the recipient of the 2012 Chairman's Award from the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Women of Excellence Award from the Women of the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting. In addition, the Arizona National Guard presented Ms. Chávez with the Adjutant General's Medal and the Diversity Champion Leadership Award.
Ms. Chávez holds a juris doctorate from the James E. Rogers College of Law at the University of Arizona and a bachelor's degree in American history from Yale University. Bar admissions include the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, Arizona Supreme Court, and U.S. Supreme Court.
Nhadine Leung
Chief of Staff
Girl Scouts of the USA
"As a third-generation Girl Scout whose commitment to public service and meaningful change was fostered in this Movement, I could not be more thrilled to be joining with Girl Scouts during its 100th anniversary year to help the organization reach its ambitious goals for girls and women."
Nhadine Leung is a lawyer with experience in organizational change, community economic development, real estate law, and investment banking.
"Nhadine brings extraordinary experience and great energy, expertise, and vision to Girl Scouts as we enter our second century of service to girls," said GSUSA Chief Executive Officer Anna Maria Chávez. "We're poised for great things as we focus on reaching more girls, raising $1 billion, and being the best leadership experience for girls, and Nhadine will play an integral role in helping us achieve our strategic and operational goals."
Most recently, Nhadine headed her own consulting practice focused on strategic direction-setting for innovative nonprofits. Previously, she served as chief operating officer of Living Cities, a 22-member consortium of the world's largest philanthropic and institutions that invest in improving the lives of low-income people and the cities where they live. She also led the Urban Assets Initiative at New Profit, a national venture philanthropy fund that invests in growing high-impact social enterprises.
Nhadine's grandmother was one of the first Girl Guides in Scotland and her mother is a lifelong Girl Guide and Girl Scout who served in key leadership positions in Nebraska. Nhadine is a Lifetime Member of Girl Scouts, having been a girl member in Nebraska and a troop leader in Brooklyn, New York.
In addition to her nonprofit experience, Nhadine practiced law at Weil Gotshal & Manges in New York and Warsaw, and was trained as an investment banker, working for Manufacturers Hanover and Chemical Bank in New York. She holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Chicago and a joint JD/Master of Urban Planning degree from New York University School of Law and Wagner School of Public Service.
Florence Corsello
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Business Services
Girl Scouts of the USA
"I believe we are given an opportunity to work hard at work worth doing."
As Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President, Business Services, Florence Corsello is responsible for GSUSA's business and financial operations including Girl Scout Merchandise sales and operations, GSUSA Finance, Information and Technology, and National Properties. She also oversees financial consulting services to local Girl Scout councils and operations at the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace in Savannah, Georgia. Florence has more than 30 years of financial and business management experience.
Previously, Florence, a certified public accountant, was employed by Haskins and Sells Certified Public Accountants (now Deloitte & Touche). She is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Florence earned a bachelor of science, magna cum laude, from Brooklyn College and now lives in Park Ridge, New Jersey.
Jaclyn E. Libowitz
Chief Administrative Officer
Girl Scouts of the USA
"My longevity in Girl Scouting is based on my unwavering belief in and support of the power, the voice, and the potential of girls. We can read and talk about leadership, but when we listen to the girls and young women of the Girl Scout Movement, we get to see leadership and know it firsthand."
Jaclyn E. Libowitz, Chief Administrative Officer for Girl Scouts of the USA, works closely with the Movement's Chief Executive Officer, and on her behalf, provides leadership, direction, and coordination of resources needed to accomplish GSUSA's mission. She develops and implements plans across the organization in support of the strategic goals.
Jaclyn brings a wealth of experience to her role, including her former position as CEO of a Girl Scout council. As a Senior Director at Girl Scouts of the USA, she provided leadership to the council management consultants and spearheaded the development, implementation, and evaluation of a diversity of resources, with a special focus on team building, cultural competency, strategic planning, organizational gap analysis, and community building.
Recognized for her expertise as a management consultant, executive coach, and speaker, Jaclyn has worked with clients including Coca-Cola Enterprises, Greater Cleveland Roundtable, Memphis Diversity Institute, University of New Mexico, and Charter One Bank. She has facilitated numerous group sessions focused on personal development with Fortune 100 executives for Schachat and Associates.
Deb Taft
Chief Development Officer
Girl Scouts of the USA
"I have the opportunity to help generous people and organizations across the country view girls as a national philanthropic priority. Their support will create extraordinary impact. This work is the privilege of a lifetime."
Deb Taft is Chief Development Officer of Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA).
A national leader in the philanthropy and nonprofit arenas, Deb was appointed in 2011 and charged with building a sustainable and dynamic fundraising operation for the Movement as it celebrates its landmark 100th anniversary and establishes girls as a philanthropic priority for the nation.
Deb previously led philanthropy, alumnae, and advancement marketing programs for Simmons College and its five graduate and professional schools in Boston, Mass. She also oversaw the Simmons Leadership Conference, now in its 33rd year, as the premiere women's leadership event in the country. Prior to Simmons, she served as vice president for development at Tufts Medical Center and Floating Hospital for Children, as senior director of development marketing for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund, and as chief development and public affairs officer for Concord Academy. She started her professional career in banking at Bank of Boston.
A Harvard University graduate with an MBA from the Simmons School of Management, Deb has led and served on numerous governing boards and teaching faculties and is a highly regarded speaker, presenter, facilitator, and consultant. Her professional work, consulting, and volunteer leadership in nonprofits has informed her commitment to sound governance and business practices, to strong management, and to a strategic, integrated approach to philanthropy, marketing, and constituent relations.
In addition to being a longtime volunteer for Phillips Exeter Academy, Harvard University, and Simmons College, Deb serves on the national board of governors for the Human Rights Campaign, based in Washington, D.C., and chaired its 2010 and 2011 New England Gala Dinners. She served on the boards of Women in Development and the Cam Neely Foundation for Cancer Care, and was a founding member of the national service organization City Year, now operating in 21 American cities as well as Johannesburg, South Africa; and London, England. She resides in New York City.
Michael Watson
Senior Vice President, Human Resources
Girl Scouts of the USA
"We cannot remain competitive as a nation or solve the country's most challenging problems without tapping the full potential of girls and young women from every segment of our society. I joined Girl Scouts because we embrace diversity and help girls from every background become this country's future workforce and tomorrow's leaders."
Michael Watson, Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Diversity, directs the development and implementation of strategies, policies, and programs in executive compensation, employee engagement and retention, compensation and benefits, diversity, employee relations, and executive search for Girl Scouts of the USA.
Prior to joining Girl Scouts in 1999, Michael was a human resources partner for IBM Global Services, where he served as senior human resources strategist for two businesses with combined revenues exceeding $2 billion. Other positions he has held include manager, corporate human resources for Time Warner Inc. and manager, staffing and cultural diversity for GE Capital's 7,500-employee Retailer Financial Services business. He was awarded GE Capital's Pinnacle Club for top performance. Before joining GE's Human Resources Management Program, Michael was an IBM marketing representative and received an IBM Golden Circle Award for ranking among the top performers in sales for the year.
In 1997, Michael took a self-financed, one-year sabbatical. He spent part of that year as a volunteer at two public elementary schools in New Brunswick, N.J. At one of the schools, he worked with the principal and faculty to develop education programs for students and developed a pilot tutoring/volunteer program with Rutgers University. Michael has been a business coordinator and volunteer for INROADS, an Association of Yale Alumni delegate, and graduate of Leadership Jacksonville and Leadership Canton. Michael is a lifetime member of Girl Scouts of the USA and the National Black MBA Association.
Michael is chair of the National Human Services Assembly's Human Resources Council, an association of senior human resources professionals from some of the nation's leading national nonprofits in the fields of health, human and community development, and human services. They comprise 85 organizations that employ approximately 1.1 million workers. He served as treasurer of the Nonprofit Workforce Coalition's board of directors. Composed of nonprofit organizations, associations, foundations, and academic centers, the coalition focuses on identifying and addressing issues facing the nonprofit sector workforce.
Michael has a bachelor of arts in economics from Yale University and a master of science in organizational management and human resource development from Manhattanville College. He is currently on the boards of the National Human Services Assembly and the Robert F. Kennedy Children's Action Corps, and serves on the Manhattanville College Board of Trustees. A native of New Brunswick, N.J., he was inducted into the 2008 Hall of Distinguished Alumni by the New Brunswick Education Foundation and was the first recipient of the National Human Services Assembly's Spirit of Collaboration Award (June 2010).
