Carl Canale, Vice President of Product Program
Meet The CEO
Nancy Wright has a proven track record in leading cross-functional teams within diverse business environments, focusing on revenue results, developing new business and building brands.
Prior to joining Girl Scouts, Nancy served as president of Blue Plate Catering, Inc., overseeing the operations of a significant multi-million dollar business that provides upscale catering services to corporate, non-profit, social and cultural institutions; direct service catering to private homes and offices; a world-class restaurant; and management of Applause Food Operations for the Chicago Symphony Center.
Nancy graduated with a Master of Science in Education degree from Northwest Missouri State University and a Bachelor of Special Studies degree from Cornell College. She served on the board of directors for the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago and is a member of the Advisory Council for the International Catering Association. She is a member of the Woman's Athletic Club of Chicago, is a Girl Scout alumna, and was a Girl Scout leader and volunteer for six years.
SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM
Jean Dorsch, Vice President of Organizational Effectiveness
Jean is responsible for overseeing development and reporting
against the council’s strategic plan, IT, data quality and insights,
risk management, and process review and improvement initiatives. Prior
to joining Girl Scouts in 2015, Jean worked in higher education and
public accounting, with experience in risk management and consulting,
internal audit, process review and improvement in public, private and
non-profit organizations in variety of industries. A graduate of
Illinois State University, she is a Certified Public Accountant.
Involved in Girl Scouts throughout grade school, Jean later served as
leader and in other volunteer roles for her daughter’s Girl Scout troop.
Carmen Evans, Vice President of Mission Delivery
Patty Fay, Chief of Staff
Patty joined the Council in 2012 as the Vice President of Human
Resources and Administration and is now Chief of Staff for
the council. She and her team oversee all internal operations, from
the Cookie Program and Finance to IT, HR, and all of the "little
stuff" that keeps things going. Prior to the Girl Scouts, Patty
held a variety of Human Resources roles in many for-profit
sectors: financial services, higher education, the chemical industry
and consumer products. A Campfire Girl when growing up, Patty's first
direct involvement in the Girl Scouts was as volunteer for her
daughter's Girl Scout troop, helping to carpool and sell cookies. On
Friday nights in the summer, you can find Patty at the beach in
Evanston, sharing a pizza and glass of wine with her husband. When
cooler weather sets in, Patty enjoys a good book.
Jill Hudson, Vice President of Fund Development
Jill oversees the team responsible for establishing and
securing financial partnerships with corporations, foundations,
government entities, United Way agencies, and individuals, all
of whose contributions support the council’s programming and
operations. As a former journalist with a commitment to causes that
advance girls’ and women’s interests, Jill was naturally drawn to the
Girl Scout mission. She joined Girl Scouts in 2007 as a manager in
fund development in the Illinois Crossroads council, one of the seven
councils that merged in 2008 to become GCNWI. She became the
department head in 2017. Before joining Girl Scouts, Jill ran her own
public relations consulting firm for 10 years after working as a
reporter for the St. Louis Globe-Democrat. Jill earned a Bachelor of
Science degree in journalism from Southern Illinois University.
Vicki C. King, Vice President of Outdoor Programs and Property,
Retail, Customer Care and Volunteer Services
In her role,
Vicki has strategic oversight and responsibility for all outdoor
programs and properties, retail operations, customer care and
volunteer services. Vicki also oversees direct management of and
strategy for GCNWI’s entire portfolio of properties, including seven
camps and six Gathering Places. Vicki joined Girl Scouts in
March of 2009 and is the former president of the board for Loaves and
Fishes Community Food Pantry in Naperville, Illinois. She retired in
July 2004 after 17 years with Microsoft Corporation as director of US
outbound reseller sales. Vicki has a Bachelor of Science degree in
marketing from DePaul University. Vicki is an avid and dedicated
walker, on track to walk more than 7.3 million steps this year. This
equates to walking more than 3,600 miles – more miles than the
distance between New York and Los Angeles!
Julie Somogyi, Chief External Affairs Officer
Julie oversees the marketing, recruitment, member services, and
fund development teams that are responsible for engaging people in our
Girl Scout Mission as members, supporters and brand champions. As a
news-editorial journalism graduate from the University of Illinois,
Julie launched her career as a newspaper reporter and editor and
quickly found her passion by shifting to non-profit public relations,
marketing and communications. She has advocated professionally on
behalf of girls and women for 30 years, serving as a staff member for
three Girl Scout councils. In addition to tending to the next
generation of women leaders, Julie nurtures her green thumb by
gardening indoors and out, raising a bounty of veggies and perennial
flowers that completely take over her yard every summer.
