GIRL SCOUT HERSTORY

First African-American Named CEO of Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey

One of the largest Girl Scout councils in New Jersey, Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey (GSHNJ) today announced the appointment of longtime advocate of girl empowerment and Girl Scouting, Natasha Hemmings, to Chief Executive Officer. Hemmings will take the GSHNJ helm on April 9. Hemmings, who holds a Masters in Public Administration from Rutgers University, brings 17 years of strategic leadership, community engagement, non-profit programming, and fund development to the council.

Natasha Hemmings, CEO, Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey (PRNewsfoto/Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey)

Currently, she is Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for Girl Scouts of Central & Southern NJ where she has successfully leveraged partnerships with several national and local brands to increase opportunities for girls as well as expanded membership and volunteerism in underserved New Jersey communities. Over the last 12 years, she was selected four consecutive times to serve on the Girl Scouts USA National Convention Action Team. She is also Co-Leader of a 32-member multi-level troop in Plainfield. “We support Girl Scouts from the Delaware to Hudson Rivers. The counties served by GSHNJ  range from some of the most rural areas to the most densely and demographically diverse in the nation. Hemmings joins GSHNJ at a critical juncture for the council as we seek to make Girl Scout leadership programs accessible to all girls, in language and in culture,” said Lydia Whitefield, Board Chair, GSHNJ. ”

Hemmings has a deep understanding that success comes when adult volunteers are well supported in their efforts to serve their troops. She possesses the leadership, experience, and passion needed to promote and provide innovative and relevant programming for girls in every part of our council.” GSHNJ serves over 17,000 girls, ages 5-17, and 10,000 adult members in the counties of Hudson, Essex, Union, Somerset, Hunterdon, southern Warren and parts of Middlesex. Hemmings, who resides in Piscataway, is looking forward to the challenge and said, “I am very thankful for this opportunity and extremely excited about partnering with the staff, board, volunteers, and community to make a positive impact on the lives of girls. I am also looking forward to expanding our network of G.I.R.L. Champions (Go-getters, Innovators, Risk-takers, and Leaders)™ throughout the region.”

GSHNJ’s mission is to help build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place by providing girls access to premier leadership programs and mentors throughout New Jersey. Leadership programs focus on four key areas: outdoor experiences, life skills, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and entrepreneurship. GSHNJ owns and operates three American Camp Association Accredited Summer Camps: Residential Camp Lou Henry Hoover in Middleville, NJ, and day camps The OVAL in Maplewood, NJ, and Camp Agnes DeWitt in Hillsborough, NJ. For more information about joining, volunteering, camping, or donating to Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey, please visit www.gshnj.org.

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