Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains Board of Directors
The corporate Board of Directors is made up of elected volunteers who are responsible for the governance of the Council and stewardship of its assets. The Board is empowered to act on behalf of the membership within the framework of the Council's Bylaws. The Board is legally, ethically and morally responsible for performing its functions and does so as a group at regularly scheduled meetings. The Board is responsible to Girl Scouts of the USA for compliance with charter requirements and to the state and federal government for compliance with applicable legislation.
Meet Our Officers
Susan H. Donnelly–Council President / Board Chair
Originally from Vermont, Susan H. (Sue) Donnelly is a lifelong member of the Girl Scouts. Her family was involved in the creation of Swift Water Council so it has been an honor for her to be on the inaugural board of GSGWM. She has been an active adult volunteer since 1996 as a trainer, leader, service unit manager and board member. On the GSGWM board she has served on the Executive Committee and Chair of the Integrated Board/Staff Long-Range Property Planning Task Group. In her professional life, Sue recently retired from Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire, where she lives. She has many years of experience as an Organizational Development Specialist, educator and internal consultant. Sue has facilitated numerous internal and external strategic planning efforts, is knowledgeable in all areas of personnel management, and brings data- and outcome-driven decision making to her board work. A systems thinker, Sue is very committed to developing a financially strong Council that meets the Girl Scout mission while increasing membership; one that is prepared to serve girls into the future.
Patricia Casey–First Vice President
A Girl Scout for more than 29 years, Tricia earned her Silver and Gold Awards as a girl member of the Girl Scout Council of Hawaii. A founding member of the GSGWM Board of Directors, she has served on the Fund Development, Audit, Finance and Executive Committees, the Strategic Learning and Human Resources task groups, and is a National Delegate. Tricia previously served as a board member for Girl Scouts of Swift Water Council, involved in the Executive, Audit, Development, and Golf Committees. She will complete her Master in Public Administration degree at the University of New Hampshire in May 2012, and is a member of the 2012 class of Leadership Greater Nashua. Tricia is Director of Advancement with Boys & Girls Club of Greater Nashua, and lives with her husband, Paul, and children, Jack and Scarlett, in Nashua, NH.
Denise Vaillancourt–Second Vice President
Denise has spent her career in the nonprofit world holding a variety of positions with responsibility for finance, information systems and human resources. Denise, who lives in Concord, New Hampshire, is currently the Vice President for Finance for the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests. Denise has fond memories of her years as a Girl Scout, so she was thrilled to become part of the new Council’s board when it formed a couple of years ago. Denise wants to use her skills and talents to serve Girl Scouting so that a new generation of girls can have the kind of wonderful experience she had in the Movement when she was young.
Shannon Chandley–Third Vice President
Shannon, a former State Representative and current Council Secretary, and her family reside in Amherst, New Hampshire. While her family has been her primary focus, she has served on many community boards and committees over the years. She sits on and has chaired the URI College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Council and served on their Campaign Leadership Committee. She is a member of the Northern New England Advisory Board of the Children’s Tumor Foundation, and the Amherst Junior Women’s Club. In her role as state representative, Shannon served on several subcommittees, commissions and committees of conference. Shannon was recently selected to represent Girl Scouts of the USA at the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) Western Hemisphere Regional Advocacy and Strategic Partnerships Workshop to be held later this month in Toronto, Canada.
Martha R. Manley–Council Secretary
Martha grew up in a Girl Scout family, and has been active in Girl Scouting for more than 50 years. She served as a troop leader and trainer in three different councils, and had both a Girl Scouts Overseas troop and a Girl Guide unit in Liberia. When she joined the Board of Directors, Martha brought together her experience in business and accounting with a lifelong love and appreciation of Girl Scouting. Martha is a certified public accountant, and currently serves as treasurer of the GSGWM Board of Directors. She is also a member of the Friends of WAGGGS USA committee, and has a passion for encouraging the international aspects of Girl Scouting. In addition to Girl Scouting, Martha, retired from newspaper publishing, volunteers as a tax aide to AARP and is an active member of her church community.
Barbara Barrett–Council Treasurer
Barbara has been a member of Girl Scouts for more than 35 years. She was a Brownie Girl Scout in Pennsylvania and has volunteered in three other councils as an adult, serving in several operational roles as well as several governance roles. She has been a delegate to three previous National Council Sessions and is looking forward to representing GSGWM in Houston next month. Barbara has been involved in other non-profit organizations as treasurer, president, founding board member and board member. Barbara is a retired accountant and financial advisor. Her interest in serving the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains is to help our Council continue to be the preeminent organization serving girls and adults throughout New Hampshire and Vermont. Barbara feels her life has been enriched by the programs and friendships Girl Scouts offers girls and adults, and wants to make these opportunities available to as many members in our two states as possible.
Meet our Members at Large
Peter Bergin
Peter has been involved with Girl Scouting since his youth through his father's business that supplied Girl Scout Cookies for ABC Bakeries. He has also stayed involved in Girl Scouting through his wife and daughters. A member of the GSGWM Board of Directors since January 2009, Peter has served on the Advocacy Committee and currently serves on the Investment Committee and Board Development Committee. He was a State Representative in New Hampshire.
Emily Boyd Poirier
Emily is a lifetime Girl Scout residing in Hinesburg, Vermont. Her years as a girl member included assisting younger troops as an aide, participating in regular service projects for her community, and working independently on events coordination. As an adult member, Emily has been a co-leader of a troop and a volunteer in her town’s community/service unit. Emily is employed as an office manager for Munsen Earth Moving in Williston, Vermont, and also owns her own business as a makeup artist and a promotional model. Emily Boyd Makeup Artistry is a result of her years at Barbizon Modeling School and Agency, both as a graduate and a promotional model. To further her background in this field, she has studied with internationally renowned makeup artist, David Nicholas, focusing on advanced cosmetic makeup artistry as well as a concentration on reconstructive and corrective applications.
Kimberly Casey
Kim resides in East Kingston, New Hampshire. Over the years, she has been very active in her community, chairing the Cooperative High School Committee. In addition, Kim was a New Hampshire State Representative for four terms, serving on the Education and Finance committees. She understands our Girl Scout mission and the important role it plays in developing girls and future leaders.
Sarah Chaffee
Sarah resides in Bradford, New Hampshire. Currently the Gallery Director for McGowan Fine Art in Concord, NH, Sarah has served on a number of boards and committees including the Advisory Council for the Currier Musuem of Art where she assisted on their Capital Campaign. She takes much pride in her problem solving skills and enjoys working through ideas to find solutions. Sarah’s prior Girl Scout experience includes attending Camp Kettleford in Bedford, NH and participating in several Girl Scout troops as a child.
Rosyln K. Chavda
Roz lives in Nottingham, New Hampshire. Most recently, Roz served as an Assistant Professor at the University of New Hampshire in Durham. She is a policy development and implementation specialist and an expert in social science statistics. While her most recent experience with Girl Scouting has been limited to supporting her niece's participation in the Girl Scout Cookie Leadership program through the purchase of Thin Mints, Roz was a Brownie Girl Scout while growing up in Brooklyn, New York. Looking back, Roz believes that the structure and regularity that Girl Scouts brought to the lives of the girls and their families in her neighborhood was invaluable.
Christina Donovan
Christina is a resident of New London, New Hampshire, where she, along with her husband Kevin and four children have lived for the last 13 years. In addition to her commitment to her family's needs, Christina is active in her community and has served in many capacities including: Girl Scout leader, Treasurer of a Cub Scout pack, Winter Activities and Activity Night Director for the Kearsarge Elementary School in New London. Prior to moving to New Hampshire to raise a family, Christina was an accountant in the Boston, Massachusetts area.
Anne Edwards
A lifelong Girl Scout who lives in Milford, New Hampshire, Anne Edwards served on the Swift Water Board in a number of capacities since 1997, completing her service to Swift Water as President from 2003–2007 and as Co-Chair of the Council Realignment Committee that created Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains. Anne graduated from St. Anselm College and Boston University School of Law. An attorney, Anne worked in two New Hampshire law firms and is currently an Associate Attorney General and Chief of Staff for the State of New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office. Anne is a Cub Scout leader and Committee Chair for Boy Scout Troop 4. She has served as the Chair of the Milford Ethics Committee since 2008 and continues as an active volunteer in her church. Previously, Anne was involved as a board member for the New Hampshire Women's Lobby and the Children's Connection. Anne is committed to our Council and sees the need for the Board to be very forward thinking and focused on strategic planning.
Nancy Formella
Nancy, a former camp counselor and troop assistant while attending college, graduated from the University of Iowa with a BSN, and received her MSN from Marquette University. She joined DHMC as the Senior Nurse Executive in 1999. She also has experience as a national consultant with CSC Healthcare, and held a variety of positions in the Mayo system both in Rochester, MN and Jacksonville, FL over a 14 year period.
Nancy is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives, and also holds membership in the American Nurses’ Association, the American Organization of Nurse Executives and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. Nancy was named the 2004 Nurse Leader of the Year by the New Hampshire Nurses' Association (NHNA). In 2005 she received the award for Nursing Management Excellence from the New Hampshire Organization of Nurse Leaders and in 2009, she received the Distinguished Alumna in Nursing award from Marquette University. Her community leadership experience includes a six year term on the Kendal at Hanover board, including two years as board chair as well as her current service on the Granite State United Way Board and immediate past Board Chair of the New Hampshire Hospital Association. She has past and current experience on numerous regional and national task forces and committees, most currently serving on the Performance Improvement Committee of the American Hospital Association.
Nancy served as Acting President of Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital from May 2006-May 2007 when she became President, a role she filled until November, 2011 when she accepted the role of Executive Advisor to the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Boards of Trustees. She has recently announced her retirement from Dartmouth-Hitchcock, effective December 1, 2012. Nancy and her husband, John, have two grown sons and reside in Hanover, NH.
Alyson Genovese
Alyson and her family, which happens to include two young Girl Scouts, live in Dover, New Hampshire. A relative new comer to our organization, Alyson has seen first-hand how much the Girl Scout leadership program has benefited her daughters. As the owner of Cause Solutions, a consultancy for corporations that wish to build or enhance their strategic Community Relations, Public Affairs and Corporate Social Responsibility effort, Alyson also works with nonprofit organizations seeking new ways to engage with and communicate to corporate partners. With her exceptional marketing, communication, and strategic planning skills, Alyson is looking forward to serving the members of our council as a member-at-large. Alyson has a Bachelor of Arts from Fairfield University, a Master’s Certificate in Nonprofit Management from George Mason University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of New Hampshire.
Karen Nadeau
Karen is a self-employed speech and language pathology consultant from Jaffrey, New Hampshire and a lifetime member of Girl Scouts. She was a troop leader in Derry, New Hampshire for 10 years, organized and provided a one week residential camp for inner city girls while living in Seattle, Washington, and was a camp counselor at a Girl Scout residential camp. Karen is committed to the values and opportunities provided by an all-girl organization. Her profession has provided her with the ability to visualize, organize and implement programs and presentations. Karen is and has been involved with many community and non-profit organizations including Cheshire Mediation, Red Cross driver, several animal rescue groups, vice-chair of the Jaffrey Historical District Commission, and the Library & Village Improvement Society.
Judith Silverberg, PhD
A lifetime Girl Scout member, Judy was a member of the Riverland Council in Wisconsin beginning as a Brownie in 1959, earned her First Class in 1967, and attended Girl Scout West in Ten Sleep, Wyoming in 1970. She has been an active Girl Scout volunteer throughout her adult life serving as a leader and trainer. Judy has 35 years of experience working with natural resource agencies in Wisconsin, Connecticut and New Hampshire. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, she earned a Bachelor’s (Wildlife Ecology) and Master’s degree (Environmental Education) and holds her Doctorate in Natural Resources from the University of New Hampshire. Currently, she works for the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department where she is responsible for planning, implementation and delivery of wildlife education and viewing programs throughout the Granite State. Judy also oversees the department’s visitor centers and conservation camp. She has served on a number of boards and advisory groups and been an adjunct professor at several universities. She is the author of the NH Wildlife Viewing Guide and lives in Bow. Judy is the recipient of numerous state, regional and national awards. She looks forward to bringing her organizational, facilities management and educational skills to the board.
Don Sommese
Don is a practicing financial planner with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney and specializes in comprehensive wealth management planning and understands that fundraising is one of the primary functions of a member of a nonprofit Board of Directors. He is active in his church and the Knights of Columbus Council, and was instrumental in establishing a scholarship fund. He’s currently organizing a fundraising concert which he hopes will draw an audience of 900. The New Hampshire Cultural Diversity Council’s mission is to increase awareness of the need for communication, understanding and respect among people of ethnically and racially diverse backgrounds. Don served on the Council for several years (2005-2007) as Secretary. Don credits being raised in a “melting pot city in New Jersey” with his appreciation for diversity and different perspectives. He also serves on the Nashua, NH Chamber of Commerce’s Political Advocacy Committee, which examines how politics affects business, and he is very interested in Girl Scouts’ advocacy efforts.
William Wilkes
William is a member of Merrimack Office Properties, LLC in Merrimack, New Hampshire. Currently, he is a member of GSGWM’s Long-Range Property Planning Task Group. William has a proven track record of leading a highly profitable and successful business division, works effectively with people, and is able to understand, formulate and implement strategic plans. He is a past president of the Merrimack Rotary Club, former board member of the Merrimack Chamber of Commerce, member of Northeast Angel Capital Group, and Small Business Administration SCORE Counselor.
M. Lee Williams
A Girl Scout for more than three decades, Lee has held various volunteer positions at the council level, including serving as a past chair of the Investment Committee and was elected to the GSGWM Board of Directors as a Member-at-Large. She was appointed by the Board to serve as Secretary early in 2010. She served as Chair for the Finance Committee in 2011. Previously she led an international Wider-Op, was a delegate, has been a trainer, and served as program director and assistant camp director at Camp Seawood. For more than 20 years Lee organized and ran Operation Snowflake, a winter camping competition that serves 400 older Girl Scouts from across New England. She also helped organize the Senior Conference, a weekend of career exploration and sensitive-issues discussion for 300 10-12th grade Girl Scouts from Maine to Maryland. Lee is a past recipient of the Thanks Badge and is a lifetime member. Professionally, Lee is a wealth manager at Citizens Bank in Boston, MA, and lives in Exeter, NH.
If you would like to self-refer yourself to a position on the Board of Directors and/or Board Development Committee, please click here for an application.
Board members are available to attend Community meetings, awards ceremonies, and community events. If you would like to contact a board member, please send a letter to Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains Board of Directors, PO Box 10832, Bedford, NH 03110-0832.