Associate Board

Vanessa grew up as a Girl Scout in San Antonio, Texas. After obtaining an Engineering degree at the University of Southern California, Vanessa began a career in consulting focusing on global business transformations. When she moved to Chicago, she began volunteering with a Girl Scout troop and joined the Associate Board.

"As a former Girl Scout, the words 'courageous' and 'strong' really hit home for me. I enjoy supporting the organization that gave me the foundation of who I am today."

Yaqoota works as a healthcare strategist at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois where she focuses on revenue diversification and growth strategies. She is passionate about developing & empowering young people, especially those from disadvantaged populations, so she volunteers with and serves on the Associate Boards of both Girl Scouts and Tutoring Chicago.

"Girl Scouts has a broad reach allowing us the opportunity to lift up young women, enabling their leadership development and professional growth in new and exciting ways."

Mary Kate is a Tax Consultant at Deloitte and recently passed the CPA Exam. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and French & Francophone Studies from John Carroll University. Mary Kate become involved with the Girl Scouts as a Daisy when she was younger and volunteered throughout college with local troops from northeast Ohio. She’s most excited to volunteer with local troops and she will be running the Chicago marathon with the Girl Scouts charity team!

"I’m thankful for the women that have shaped who I am today and passionate paying it forward to empower the next generation of young women. I’m excited to learn and grow with the Associate Board"

Erica is a Partner at Valentine Austriaco & Bueschel PC (VAB), a women-owned law firm in Chicago. Erica practices commercial litigation and real estate litigation. Prior to joining private practice, Erica was an attorney law clerk in the mortgage foreclosure division of the Circuit Court of Cook County. Erica is a chairperson of the planning committee for the annual Project Law Track with Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana and the Alliance For Women of the Chicago Bar Association.

"Girl Scouts can have a positive impact on many young people's lives. I enjoy supporting an organization that empowers young people to be the best they can be!"

Ellie grew up in the Arizona Cactus Pine Council and was a girl member from kindergarten until graduating high school when she became a lifetime member of the Girl Scouts. During that time, she traveled on a destination, earned her Gold Award, helped lead annual meetings, and served as a Girl Advisory Member on the Board of Directors. She graduated from the Pratt Institute with a B.S. in Construction Management and is currently a Senior Associate in KPMG’s Capital Projects Advisory group.

"Girl Scouts formed me into the woman that I am today, and I am proud to serve and pay it forward to an organization that continues to build girls of courage confidence and character."

Shannon is a graduate from the University of Chicago with a BA in Biology, and from Georgetown University with a MS in Physiology and Biophysics. After working as a college prep physics teacher and in oncological clinical research as a clinical coordinator, Shannon has recently begun to pursue her MD at the University of Illinois College of Medicine. Shannon is a lifelong Illinois resident and Girl Scout, earning her Gold Award in 2013 and volunteering at WAGGGS's Pax Lodge in 2018.

"I am passionate about encouraging girls and young women to pursue career's in STEM. I was lucky enough to have dedicated leaders (especially my own Mom) who inspired us with many science and math focused badges and trips. It was through girl scouting that I learned many of the values that lead me to pursue medicine as a career. The Associate Board is a great way for me to give back during these early stages of my career."

Amy Scholz is a manager in the Enterprise Transformation Vendor and Asset Management organization at Grant Thornton LLP. She holds a Bachelor’s degree and MBA in Accounting, and was her university’s cheer captain through grad school. She is no stranger to Girl Scouts, spending almost 10 years of her childhood as a Girl Scout and working at Camp Pokanoka during the summers of her undergrad years. She now spends her “free time” updating her foodie blog, hanging out with her husband and two rescue dogs, traveling, and running.

"Girl Scouts was a huge driver of who I turned out to be. I feel blessed to be able to “invest in girls” through this organization I could never fully repay."

Amanda has called Chicago home for the past fourteen years after receiving a Bachelor degree from Saint Xavier University. She has ten years of experience in the planning and execution of digital marketing campaigns within the consumer goods and technology industries. In her current role, Amanda focuses on demand generation strategies and tactics for a SaaS startup. She recently graduated with a Master degree from Northwestern University. Amanda is an active member of the Associate Board and Global Action Volunteer Team.

"I enjoy serving on the Associate Board with other like-minded volunteers focused on the girl driven aspect of the organization. I often credit Girl Scouts in shaping the woman I am today."

For as long as Alex can remember, she's been passionate about communicating. She is grateful to have discovered a career path where she currently uses her love of words, puns and alliteration to help more than 250,000 retail employees feel connected and empowered to be their best selves at work. Whether it’s coming up with a creative way to announce a product launch or writing a candid story about how employees are responding amid a pandemic, Alex values having a platform to do what she loves while impacting an iconic organization.

"My experiences as a Girl Scout undoubtedly shaped me into the woman I am today. I am honored to reconnect with the organization and to have the opportunity to ensure girls across Chicagoland achieve their dreams."

Dr. Suzanne Smyth is a licensed professional engineer, a certified fire investigator, and a lifelong Girl Scout. She has over ten years of experience in the application of fire science and mechanical engineering to incident investigation, failure analysis, risk assessment, and litigation support. When not solving engineering problems, she loves hiking, bird watching, gardening, and puzzles of all kinds!

"I attribute so much of my courage, confidence, and character to a lifetime spent in Girl Scouting and I love giving back to the organization that gave me so much!"

Laura is a Managing Director in EY Private Tax, providing tax and financial planning to entrepreneurs, private business owners, multi-generational families and senior corporate executives to help create, preserve and transition wealth across generations. She is a recipient of the AICPA's 2017 Personal Financial Planning (PFP) Standing Ovation Award, which honors young CPAs for contributions to personal financial planning.

"Helping to raise awareness of the Girl Scout mission to build girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place."

A lifelong Girl Scout, Alyssa earned her Gold Award in high school, and worked as a volunteer at Camp Greene Wood throughout college and beyond. Alyssa joined the Associate Board in order to continue her involvement in and support of Girl Scouts. Alyssa holds a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics and Economics from Ohio Wesleyan University and is a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society. She enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling, hiking, and playing board games.

Maggie Hartney works as an Asset Manager at Invenergy and is responsible for a portfolio of operating renewable energy assets including wind, solar, and battery storage projects. Previously, Maggie worked for the Bureau of Land Management in Tucson, AZ. She has an MBA from the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business and a B.S. from Tulane University. Maggie was a Girl Scout for 12 years and earned her Gold Award. She started and led her own troop in Tucson for 2.5 years. Maggie joined the Associate Board in 2021 upon moving to Chicago.

"Girl Scouting had a significant positive influence on the woman I am today. I am compelled to do a good turn and give back so that girls of today and of the future can reap the multitude of benefits this organization has to offer."

Juliann Krupa is an environmental scientist and public engagement manager who has worked at the Alliance for the Great Lakes, Shedd Aquarium and the Chicago Children’s Museum, honing her expertise in project and program management, experiential learning, and outdoor recreation. She is an active member in Chicago's nonprofit community, also serving on the board of the Young Nonprofit Professional Network (YNPN) of Chicago. A lifetime Girl Scout member, she loves supporting Girl Scouts through the Associate Board and is particularly excited about serving on the Gold Award committee and connecting with older scouts. When she’s not out and about in Chicago, she loves reading cookbooks, playing board games, and fussing with her vegetable garden.