Janet R. Donovan

President and CEO Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania

With a mission of growing girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place, Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania serves more than 18,000 girls and adult volunteers throughout our 30-county footprint.

As we begin a new year, our organization is excited to build on our legacy as the premier leadership development organization for girls.

We work with policymakers at all levels to advance solutions that support the whole girl, and our current policy goals help give her the chance to practice a lifetime of leadership, adventure and success. Our priorities include:

• Inspiring greater civic engagement and civic education

• Fueling girls’ passion for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)

• Strengthening girls’ financial literacy and business skills

• Expanding girls’ access to outdoor exploration

• Upholding a strong nonprofit community

At Girl Scouts, we continuously think about how we can help the next generation of female business owners, educators, scientists and community leaders succeed, and we know a big part of those efforts is to offer girls an unparalleled Girl Scout Leadership Experience.

In September 2023, we officially opened our new headquarters on Trindle Road in Cumberland County. With three floors of space, the site offers plenty of room for our growing program. Features include a Girl Scout museum, a podcast studio, a retail store, staff offices and program areas for troop events. We invite elected officials to join us for a tour or visit to our new headquarters. Please reach out to ceo@gshpa.org and we will be happy to schedule an appointment.

As our membership continues to grow, we are excited about the future of Girl Scouting. When our founder, Juliette Gordon Low, started the program in 1912, she wanted to create a girl-led organization. She believed in inclusion, inviting girls from all races, cultures and backgrounds to become members. Above all, she championed girls to develop their leadership skills, advocate for themselves and others, and turn their ambitions into reality. Those founding principles of more than 110 years ago are ones that still guide our program today.

We look forward to the future as we continue to serve girls throughout Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania, helping them reach their full potential.