The face of Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois, as well as other board and board development committee members, has changed this past month. Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois is pleased to announce that Linda Manley from Highland has been elected as Board Chair. Manley began her 3-year term in this position at the organization’s annual meeting held on April 6.
“I am honored the delegates for Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois have entrusted me with leading this great organization,” said Manley. “The driving force behind Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois will not change. Our Board of Directors will continue to ensure the success of every girl and in return, the council will grow through partnerships with our volunteers. We will use our expertise to discover, connect, and take action to benefit the girls while being loyal to the council.”
Manley brings an extensive Girl Scouting background to her new role. Her two adult daughters were both active in Girl Scouts during their childhood. In her 40 plus years of volunteering with Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois, Manley has held an array of roles – from the troop level, to the council level, to governance. Manley is also very active with other organizations in her community, such as the Troy/Maryville/St. Jacob/Marine Chamber of Commerce, Jarvis Township Senior Citizens, St. Paul Education Foundation, and St. Paul Catholic Church. Manley is also a Certified Financial Planner with Edward Jones Investments who enjoys cooking, golf, and working in her yard in her spare time.
Loretta Graham, CEO for Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois, is pleased to be working with Manley in her new role. “Linda has been an instrumental part of our board for quite some time. I look forward to working with her as she leads our organization for the next three years,” said Graham. Under Manley’s leadership, Graham is confident the organization will continue to thrive. “Linda’s passion for Girl Scouting is second to none. Her commitment to ensuring our council remains fiscally sound while providing the best possible Girl Scout Leadership Experience for our girls and volunteers make her the ideal person to take our organization to new heights,” Graham stated.
Manley previously served on the Board of Directors for Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois as Second Vice Chair. With her previous position now vacated, Elizabeth Shore from Marion was elected as Second Vice Chair. In addition, Directors at Large that were elected include Michelle Yates from Edwardsville, Julia Deien (2nd term) from Aviston, and Kevin Doak (2nd term) from Edwardsville. Yates was also elected to serve on the Board Development Committee as was Melanie Mills from Charleston.
Graham states, “Under Linda’s leadership, I am excited for what the future holds for Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois. With the board we have in place, I am reminded of a quote from Jim Collins that says, ‘The kind of commitment I find among the best performers across virtually every field is a single-minded passion for what they do, an unwavering desire for excellence in the way they think and the way they work. Genuine confidence is what launches you out of bed in the morning, and through your day with a spring in your step.’”
“With ever changing drive and spirit, we will continue to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who will make the world a better place,” Manley added.
