Board of Directors
You Are Here : Home : About Us : Council Operations :
Officers
Robert ‘Woody’ Shackleton, President (term expires April 2012)
Woody is a technology business executive, retired from IBM and Foundry Networks where he was head of sales. He is currently a director of Girl Scouts of Northern California where he has been active in the strategic planning and budget processes, most recently serving as Chair of the Finance Committee. Woody was instrumental in helping create and launch the “Girl Scouts Save the Bay” initiative, and he has solicited major foundations and donors to provide financial support. He is also a vocal advocate for public education and programs to provide Girl Scouting in underserved communities. Woody lives in San Mateo County and also serves as a Director on the board of the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.

Ellen Richey, First Vice President (term expires April 2012)
Ellen is Chief Enterprise Risk Officer of Visa Inc. She has a background in law, risk management and financial services. Prior to joining Visa, she served as a senior vice president of Card Services at Washington Mutual and as vice chairman, chief legal officer and corporate secretary of Providian Financial Corporation, one of the leading bankcard issuers in the U.S. Ellen currently serves as a director and as secretary of Girl Scouts of Northern California. Previously she served as a director and member of the Fund Development Committee of Girl Scouts of San Francisco Bay Area, and was a key member of the Council Realignment Committee for which she chaired the Finance subcommittee. She holds a Juris Doctorate from Stanford Law School and a Bachelor’s degree from Harvard University, where she graduated summa cum laude. Ellen was a Girl Scout in Massachusetts as a child, but she first experienced the pleasure of organized Girl Scout camping when she served as a volunteer mentor at the former San Francisco Council's "Camp CEO" program for at-risk girls. She is a resident of Berkeley.

Suzanne Moshier, Second Vice President (term expires April 2012)
Suzanne is a former high tech sales and marketing executive with a Master’s degree in Mass Communications. She chairs the Community Advisory Boards which serve as a link between the community and Girl Scout body. Additionally she chairs the Regional Delegates Task Group whose dedicated members are reviewing and advising the board on the important topic of council governance. Suzanne is a seasoned fund raiser with experience ranging from organizing special events to raising capital campaign dollars for Girl Scouts and other volunteer organizations. Prior to serving in a governance role, Suzanne was an active volunteer in girl program. She lives in Los Altos.

Diana Bell, Third Vice President (term expires April 2012)
Diana currently serves as a director on a number of boards including Girl Scouts of Northern California, the Peralta Community Colleges Foundation Board, and the State of California’s Board of Accountancy. Until her retirement in May, 2007, Diana was a Senior Vice President for the Hewlett-Packard Company. In that role, she led the company’s WW Total Customer Experience & Quality functions as well as Corporate Affairs. In the Corporate Affairs role, she was responsible for HP’s global citizenship efforts, i.e. Philanthropy, Environmental Sustainability, Privacy, and Ethics. She was promoted to Senior Vice President in 2005. Diana was formerly Vice President and General Manager for HP’s multibillion dollar Mobile Computing Division. In that position, she had profit and loss responsibility for the laptop computers sold by HP in both the commercial and consumer markets. She joined HP as a Programmer Analyst in 1975. A native of Baltimore, MD, Diana holds a bachelor of science degree in mathematics from Michigan State University and a master of business administration degree in finance from Clark Atlanta University. She also completed an executive MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. 
Dora Mao, Secretary (term expires April 2012)
Dora is a senior attorney at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, a global law firm. Dora specializes in a broad range of financial, securities, and commercial transactions. As a director of the former Girl Scouts of Francisco Bay Area Council, she led an initiative to update the Council Bylaws. She is also a trustee of San Francisco University High School. Dora is a San Francisco resident, a Girl Scout Mom and serves as a co-leader for two cooperative troops.
Carolyn Worth, Treasurer (term expires April 2012)
Carolyn is a CPA and retired partner with the firm of KPMG LLP, a global prov
ider of audit, tax, and advisory services. She is currently a director and treasurer of the Girl Scouts of Northern California, where she serves on the Finance and Audit Committees. She previously served as a director of the Girl Scout Council of Hawaii. Carolyn’s governance experience outside of Girl Scouts includes the Marin General Hospital Board of Directors and Finance Committee. She is a resident of Marin and a lifelong Girl Scout.
Directors-at-Large
Tina Amber, Ex Officio (term expires April 2012)
Tina is retired from Macy*s where she managed regional operations for twenty five years. At Macy*s, she has worked with integrating acquired businesses and was familiar with the issues pertaining to a large organization. Tina has served as a member of the Nominating Committee of the former Girl Scouts of Francisco Bay Area Council and has previously served on the Governance Task Force and the Strategic Planning Committee, as chair of the Crossroads Association and in many Girl Scout volunteer operational positions. She is currently the Chair of the Board Development Committee for Girl Scouts of Northern California. She volunteers at a resident camp each summer where she teaches backpacking skills to young women. For the past seven years she has been a trainer for the Council. She has been active with community organizations in the East Bay communities of Pleasanton and Danville where she has resided. She is the mother of six young women.
Donna Arevalo (term expires April 2013)
Donna was appointed to the Board in 2010, between elections, to fill a vacancy. She has been the Vice President of Human Resources with See’s Candies, Inc. since 1992. Donna has worked for See’s since 1978. She earned a B.S. in Business Administration and Labor Relations from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and an MBA in Human Resources Management from Golden Gate University. She attended the Stanford Executive Program in the School of Business, Stanford University. Donna was a Board member of the Big Brother and Big Sister Program of San Francisco and the Peninsula, 1996-2004. She served on the Board of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Northern California Chapter from 1999-2001. She was a Brownie and a Junior Girl Scout.
Suzanne Bell (term expires April 2013)
Suzanne was appointed to the Board in 2010, between elections, to fill a vacancy. She is a partner in the law firm of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. She joined the firm in 1988 and was promoted to partner in 1995. Suzanne handles technology and intellectual property transactions for companies in a variety of industries, including software, Internet, communications and cleantech. She has advised many of the Silicon Valley’s most prominent companies from start-up to maturity. Suzanne has participated in the management of the law firm in various capacities; she is currently a member of the Nominating Committee, and has also served on the Board of Directors, Operations Committee, Policy Committee, Member Compensation Committee, Management Committee and Strategic Planning Committee. She received her B.A. from Middlebury College, a M.S. in Engineering from Columbia University and a J.D. from Stanford Law School. She is a member of the Board of Visitors, Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and is a former member of the National Board of Directors, Watermark (formerly Forum for Women Entrepreneurs and Executives). Suzanne has received many honors and recognitions, including being named a 2009 Woman of Influence, by the Silicon Valley/San Joe Business Journal. She is a frequent speaker and author; recent topics include cloud computing and intellectual property transactions for cleantech companies. Suzanne is the mother of three daughters, ages 13, 17 and 21. She is a Girl Scout leader in Palo Alto for her 17-year-old daughter’s troop.
Sally Biggin (term expires April 2012)
Sally is a trustee for College of the Redwoods. She is an educator who held many academic positions including high school principal, district superintendent and currently, university supervisor at Humboldt State University where she earned a Master’s Degree in Education Administration. She is a busy volunteer who has served in officer positions for the Humboldt Arts Council, the National Women’s Political Caucus, North Coast Dance, Friends of the Hoopa Library and Humboldt County’s Aviation Committee. Sally has lived and worked on the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation for 35 years. She brings a breadth of experience and sensitivity to people of diverse backgrounds.
Arletta Cortright (term expires April 2013)
Arletta has completed two terms as a Director-At-Large. She serves as the elected city clerk for the City of Fairfield (Solano County). Prior to her election as city clerk in 2003, she held a variety of volunteer positions with local community groups, including PTA president, president of the United Methodist Women in Fairfield, and lay leader for the Community United Methodist Church. She was elected to the NorCal board in 2007, and is the Chair of the Property Task Group. She holds a master’s degree in City and Regional Planning, and worked for 10 years as a planner for the City of Benicia. Arletta served on the Board of Directors for the legacy Napa-Solano Girl Scout Council, and held numerous volunteer positions with the Council, including troop leader, camp director, and service unit director. She is a lifetime member of Girl Scouts, and received her 40-year pin last year. Arletta began her Girl Scout experience as a Brownie, with her mother as her troop leader, and was active as a girl member through her graduation from high school. She resides in Fairfield
Laurie Deaton (term expires April 2013)
Laurie Deaton is Vice President of Loomis, Sayles & Company. She is based in the company's San Francisco office and works with Endowment, Foundation and Pension Fund institutional clients. Laurie's role is to help clients implement their investment objectives and to communicate portfolio positioning and strategies. Laurie’s investment career has spanned several decades and has included senior level positions at institutional investment firms such as Wellington Management Company (2000 to 2008), Oppenheimer Capital (1997 to 2000) and Barrow, Hanley Mewhinney and Strauss (1995 to 1997). Laurie has also had experience overseeing the investment of a $2 billion pension plan at Pacific Enterprises. Laurie earned both a BS and an MBA from Pepperdine University. She is a Chartered Financial Analyst and member of the CFA Society of San Francisco. Laurie enjoys skiing, Arabian Horses, travel, residential construction and remodeling, and outdoor activities. Laurie especially enjoys spending time in the greater Yellowstone area and believes her experiences growing up as a Girl Scout were key to developing her love and appreciation for the great outdoors. She currently serves on both the Investment and Finance Committees of Girl Scouts of Northern California. She resides in Mill Valley.
Teresa Gisske (term expires April 2013)
Teresa has completed two terms as a Director-At-Large. She owns Gisske Insurance Services of Chico, CA, specialists in health insurance. Her areas of expertise include human resources and corporate strategy and planning. She is a member of the National Association of Underwriters and Soroptimist International in Chico. Teresa earned her undergraduate degree at UC Berkeley and an MBA at Santa Clara University. She is currently in her third term with the Board of Girl Scouts of Northern California and serves on the Property Task Group.
Henry A. Gusman, CPA (term expires April 2012)
Henry is the Director of Financial Compliance for URS Corporation, a leading provider of engineering, construction and technical services for public agencies and private sector companies around the world. He is also a CPA who owns an accounting and tax preparation firm, Gusman & Associates. For the former Girl Scouts of San Francisco Bay Area Council, Henry had served three terms as a board member including treasurer and chaired the finance committee. He is the current Audit Committee Chair for Girl Scouts of Northern California and also serves on several boards of for-profit companies, and is a member of 100 Black Men of the Bay Area, a civic organization dedicated to helping African American youth. Henry lives and works in Alameda County and is a Girl Scout Dad.
Derek Kingham (term expires April 2013)
Derek has completed his first term as a Director-At-Large. He is a resident of McKinleyville in Humboldt County, the far northwest corner of our Council. He is a finance and operations advisor for small and medium sized entrepreneurial companies. His business experience encompasses finance, operations, distribution, human resources, and information technology. He serves on the Humboldt State University School of Business advisory committee. Derek is also a principal of North Coast Adventure Centers Inc, which provides experiential adventure activities and outdoor vocational trainings. He is a ropes course instructor, outdoor adventure trainer, and wilderness first aid instructor. As a youth in England, Derek was a Boy Scout earning his Chief Scout’s Award. Today, he is actively involved in Girl Scouting in the US. He co-leads troops for his two daughters, serves as an Adult Learning Facilitator, and Camp Director.
Shoba Krishnan (term expires April 2012)
Shoba is an associate professor with the Department of Electrical Engineering at Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, California. Her research interests include Analog and Mixed-Signal Integrated Circuit design. She received her Bachelor of Technology from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University in India and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Michigan State University. Her current curriculum and research development is in electronic instrumentation for bio-engineering and power electronics for renewable energy systems. She has a strong interest in engineering education, and has several ongoing community based activities to increase the participation of underrepresented groups in engineering. She is actively involved in outreach programs to engage school youth in age appropriate STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) concepts. She is a troop leader and lives in Fremont.
Dianne Lamendola (term expires April 2012)
Dianne is Group Vice President of Information Technology for Safeway responsible for enterprise strategy, planning & resource management. She has more than 20 years of leadership experience in the information technology industry specializing in retail. Dianne has lead many successful initiatives in bridging business with technology solutions, increasing productivity and finding cost-efficiencies in delivering applications, support and services. Dianne served as the corporate chair for Safeway’s Women’s Network Group from 2004-2006. She has developed and led a unique program to generate interest in technology among young women in high school. Dianne has served on the board and fund development committee of the former Girl Scouts of San Francisco Bay Area council and has been a board member of the Northern California Girl Scouts since the merger leading the IT Task Group. Dianne is an avid bike rider and outdoor enthusiast. She resides in Contra Costa County.
Linda Lococo (term expires April 2013)
Linda has completed two terms as a Director-At-Large. She is an Owner and Partner with First Street Insurance Agency. She has specialized in employer group benefit plans as well as individual and Medicare related benefit options for more than 25 years. Linda has been actively involved in Girl Scouts having served and chaired on a variety of committees for the Girl Scouts of Santa Clara County with particular emphasis on fundraising, board development and strategic planning. Linda graduated from San Jose State University with a B.A. in Public Relations and Marketing. She lives in San Jose.
Robin MacGillivray (term expires April 2012)
Robin became Senior Vice President – “One AT&T” in January 2010. In this role, she is overseeing the world-wide implementation of several corporate initiatives designed to further integrate merged organizations and operations for optimal customer service and financial performance. Prior to that, she was Senior Vice President – Regional and Local Markets, responsible for service and sales to AT&T’s small business customers nationwide. Ms. MacGillivray has extensive experience in managing complex businesses in highly competitive and rapidly changing environments and has cultivated this experience in a variety of functional areas, including operations, construction, finance, and human resources. She joined AT&T after receiving her bachelor’s degree in journalism from the School of Journalism and her master’s degree in telecommunications management from the Annenberg School of Communications, both at the University of Southern California. Additionally, she completed the Executive Program at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. The inaugural Council President of Girl Scouts of Northern California, Robin is a life-long Girl Scout and resides in Alamo, CA and Dallas, TX.
Leslie Miller (term expires April 2012)
Leslie is a former Vice President of Northern Trust in Mill Valley. In this position she was responsible for private banking and lending for individuals and businesses in the North Bay. With more than 20 years experience in the financial services industry, Leslie excels in funding business growth and serving the financial needs of clients. She served as Vice President of the former Girl Scouts of San Francisco Bay Area where she also chaired the Nominating and Finance Committees and was a member of the Properties Committee. She loved co-leading a Girl Scout troop in Marin County, and had fun being troop cookie manager. She is a member of Marin Forum and is a past president of the Financial Women’s Association of San Francisco. Leslie earned BA degrees in Economics and International Relations at the University of California at Davis. She earned an M.B.A. degree in Finance at Southern Methodist University, and a Master of International Management degree at American Graduate School of International Management. She also holds NASD Series 7 and 63 licenses. She lives in Marin with her husband and their daughter when she is not away at college.
Zain Oke, CPA (term expires April 2012)
Zain graduated in the Fall of 1990 with a Bachelor's of Science degree from the Haas School of Business at the University of California at Berkeley. In 1991, Zain joined the audit practice of Deloitte & Touche LLP (Deloitte), one of the nation’s leading professional services firms. She serves some of the firm’s largest healthcare clients and is the Regional Diversity and Inclusion Leader for the Northern California Pacific Northwest Region. Zain also served as a board director on the National Board of the National Association of Black Accountants, Inc. (2004 - 2007) and has been a member since chartering the student chapter at UC Berkeley in 1988. Zain is also a board member of the Accounting Career Awareness Program (ACAP) and serves on the audit committees for Girl Scouts of Northern California and Girls Inc., Bay Area. Zain has received several honors, including the 2007 Most Influential Women in Business from the San Francisco Business Times, the 2007 Women of Distinction Award from the East Bay Business Times, the 2007 and 2006 National Association of Black Accountants Presidential Awards, the 2005 Salute to Sisterhood/African American Women in The Financial Industry, one of the 2004 Ten Most Influential African Americans in the Bay Area (Corporate Category) by City Flight Magazine, the 2002 Unfaltering Commitment Award from the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants, and the 2001 Harlem YMCA Black Achievers in Industry Award. She is a Class of 2000 graduate of Leadership America and is a current member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accounts and the California Society of CPAs.
Katherine Punteney (term expires April 2012)
Katherine holds a Master’s degree in International Education and is working towards a Doctorate of Education (Ed.D) in Educational Leadership at California State University, Sacramento. She is employed at California State University, Chico, as Interim Director of Graduate and International Student Services, serving the approximately 450 international students enrolled in the university, as well as chairing a campus-wide initiative to further integrate international and intercultural perspectives into all of the University’s functions – teaching, research, and service. Katherine credits Girl Scouting for helping her develop skills and values. As an adult she has had many operational leadership roles in Girl Scouts, including troop leader, staff member, volunteer trainer and Board Member (Sierra Cascade Council). She has been a member of the Community Advisory Board of Northern California. International Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting has been her main focus. She participated as a girl in international events in Japan and Singapore, volunteered with a troop in Japan while working in the country for three years, took a troop to Our Cabaña in Mexico, and served for almost four years as Program Manager at Sangam World Center in Pune, India.
Lori Rhodes (term expires April 2012)
Lori is a Senior Vice President at M Squared, a San Francisco consulting firm. She has been with the company since 2001. She built, directs and manages the company’s most profitable business unit, in the Silicon Valley. Between 1978-1987, Lori held various leadership positions in sales and marketing at Xerox where she delivered consistent President’s Club performance. Lori Rhodes has two daughters, both of whom were Girl Scouts. Lori was a troop leader, and she participated in Camp CEO. She holds a Bachelor of Science, Communication Arts, California State Polytechnic University, 1978. Dean’s List, 1974 – 1978.
Debra Rossi (term expires April 2013)
Debra has completed her two terms as a Director-At-Large. She is an Executive Vice President of Wells Fargo and Chief Executive Officer of Wells Fargo Merchant Services, LLC. In this role she is responsible for the business strategy and management of one of the largest payment processing businesses for retail and corporate customers in the United States. Throughout her career, Debra has been an early leader in the payments industry and instrumental in defining its landscape. She launched the first point-of-sale debit and credit solution for grocery and quick-service restaurants in the U.S. She built Wells Fargo’s small business Internet services group that led the bank to be first to process a secured credit card transaction on the Internet and to partner with leading ecommerce companies including eBay, PayPal, Intuit and CyberSource. Debra also created the first merchant alliance/joint venture with a bank and a non-bank processor. In addition to the Girl Scouts of Northern California, she serves on the boards of the Wells Fargo Merchant Services, LLC and the Electronic Transactions Association. She is also a member of Visa’s Acquirer Council, Visa’s U.S. Risk Advisory Committee and the Discover Card Advisory Council. Debra is a resident of Contra Costa County and a graduate of Ohio University.
Ylisa Sanford Seymour (term expires April 2012)
Ylisa is a Certified Financial Planner, CFP, and Senior Financial Advisor with Sanford, Jigalin & Seymour, a financial advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Ylisa has served Ameriprise, formerly American Express Financial Advisors, with distinction since 1999 earning select awards as being named one of the top advisors in the nation, receiving The Presidents Award for Client Service, Quality of Advice as well as induction to Silver and Gold Circle from 1999 to present. Ylisa graduated from the University of California Davis, 1993, with a dual degree in International Relations and Rhetoric & Communication. She is currently actively involved as a member on the Board of Legal Aid of Sonoma County, the American Heart Association, and served six years on the Steering Committee for Leadership Santa Rosa. Ylisa currently resides in Sonoma County with her husband and two children. They enjoy travel and an active lifestyle including a love for golf, tennis, gourmet food and wine. Ylisa speaks upon request on financial topics designed to motivate not only women and children but all people to be good stewards of their assets.
Girl Members of the Board of Directors
Sydney Giang (term expires April 2012)
Sydney grew up in the Vietnamese Girl Scout troops of San Jose. She plans a career in business and is very interested in taking part in policy discussions.
Varsha Sathappan (term expires April 2012)
Varsha’s main interests are debate and Indian dance. In addition she is a youth correspondent for the San Jose Evergreen Times. Her career goal is to be a pediatrician.
Board Development Committee
Tina Amber, Chair (term expires April 2012)
Suzanne Bell (term expires April 2013)
Sharon Black (term expires April 2012)
Sharon is a District President for Robert Half International, the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm. In this role, she oversees operations for the company throughout Northern California and Hawaii. Sharon first joined Robert Half International in 1994, and has more than 25 years of experience in the staffing industry. Since joining the company, she has held positions of increasing responsibility in both senior management and corporate training. Prior to joining Robert Half International, Sharon held high-level positions at other firms in the Bay Area, including President of a privately held staffing firm. Sharon is also a committed member of the communities in which she lives and works. She has been a member of the Junior League of Palo Alto for over twenty years and, during this time, has taken on various roles within the organization including Board Member. Sharon also oversees several major philanthropic efforts within her territory, including an annual holiday toy drive for the local Boys and Girls Clubs of America, for which she collected close to 800 gifts for local at-risk youth in 2009. In addition, Sharon supports an annual suit drive for Dress for Success and similar non-profits, leading her team to collect over 11,000 donations for low-income women looking to enter - or re-enter - the employment market over the last seven years. In 2009, Sharon was again named one of the Top 100 Most Influential Women in Business in the Bay Area by the San Francisco Business Times.
Donna Davidson (term expires April 2013)
Donna Davidson is founder of Davidson Associates, a client retained executive search firm based in San Francisco specializing in the recruitment of high impact leaders for non-profit organizations and foundations. Previously Donna was Director of Executive Recruitment for The Bridgespan Group where she worked with global nonprofits and foundations and was VP Executive Recruitment for Bank of America. Donna grew up in Girl Scouting in Memphis, Tennessee, attended college in Mississippi, and earned a Master of Librarianship at the University of South Carolina. Donna moved to northern California in 1981, and embraces the lifestyle through horseback riding, travel, wine education, volunteering and mentoring. She has served on the boards of directors of several nonprofit organizations and is currently a mentor to a 17 year old through First Graduate, a nonprofit that supports high school students become the first in their family to graduate from college.
Mary Derner (term expires April 2012)
Mary joined the Girl Scouts as a member of the Board of Directors of the former Girl Scouts of Konocti Council in 2003, and served as First Vice President. Mary chaired the council’s Nominating Committee, and expended great and successful efforts in fundraising for Girl Scouts, serving as co-chair of the annual Jewel of a Woman event for four consecutive years. Mary graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and Hastings School of Law, and is an attorney in the Santa Rosa law firm Spaulding McCullough & Tansil LLP. She also chairs the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women event raising awareness of heart disease in women. Mary resides in Santa Rosa with her husband and three sons.
Julie Kimelman (term expires April 2012)
Julie has been a member of the Board Development Committee for Girl Scouts of Northern California since the 2007 merger. Previously, she served as a member and Board President of the former Girl Scouts of Konocti Council. During formation of our current council, Julie served on the Council Realignment Committee and several subcommittees that designed and implemented the merger. During her past career as an attorney, Julie served as president of the Sonoma County Bar Association and the Sonoma County Fair Board, as well as chairing the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce. Julie has actively participated in council events and fundraising efforts since coming to Girl Scouts, and has attended the National Convention in Atlanta, GA. She has two grown children, enjoys collecting and selling antiques, and resides with her husband in Kelseyville, located in Lake County.
Shoba Krishnan (term expires April 2012)
Leslie Miller (term expires April 2012)
Evan Said (term expires April 2013)
Evan Said resides in Redding, and has lived most of his teen and adult years in Northern California. Evan is an enthusiastic supporter of Girl Scouts; prior to the merger of the 5 former Councils, Evan served on the Board of Directors of Sierra Cascade, including a two year term as its President. During his tenure, Evan, together with staff and Board members, enhanced the financial stability of his Council and broadened its community base. Evan works with Coastal Business Systems, a locally owned firm which sells and services business equipment, with offices in Chico, Redding and Eureka.











