New Jersey Chamber of Commerce

216 West State Street, Trenton, NJ 08608 | 609-989-7888
Events Photos Member Directory Join Us My Chamber
NJ ChamberEdge
NJ ChamberEdge Sponsors
Business Insights & Inspiration
Business Insights & Inspiration
NJ ChamberEdge Sponsors

Future CEOs: Meet Nine Outstanding New Jersey Girl Scouts Whose Faces Appear on this Year’s Boxes of Girl Scout Cookie

The Edge - Special Edition, December 2020

An Exclusive Article for NJ ChamberEdge

Innovation comes in many sizes. When The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce honored women leaders in innovation at a virtual ceremony on Nov. 10, we also recognized nine outstanding girl scouts from across New Jersey. These girls have used innovation skills to sell cookies, solve problems and improve their communities. Their accomplishments are being recognized in one of the most prominent ways possible – with their photos on this year's boxes of Girl Scout Cookies.

Remember their names! These amazing girls are future CEOs and entrepreneurs who are already making their presence felt. Read more about them below. You may try to hire them someday.

 

Aimee GilAimee Gil – Cultivated a Love of Science

Aimee has been involved in Girl Scouts for more than a decade, and has used the leadership experiences and STEM-related projects she found in Girl Scouts to cultivate her love of science and medicine, which she plans to pursue in college.

 

Brenna McCormickBrenna McCormick – Selling Cookies has Taught her to Set Goals, Manage Money and Make Decisions

Brenna is a Girl Scout Cookie Boss. Selling cookies to family and friends has taught her to set goals, manage money and make decisions – skills that will serve her well in the future.

 

Bryana TurnerBryana Turner – Her Silver Award Project Supports Women in Need

Bryana's Silver Award project supported women in need. She credits Girl Scouts with helping her become an innovator by arming her with the knowledge and confidence to develop creative methods to challenge herself, especially as a successful entrepreneur in the Girl Scout’s Cookie Program.

 

Christel BurrellChristel Burrell – Girl Scouts Unleased Her Passion in Medicine, Which She Now Studies in College

Christel is a Gold Award Girl Scout whose Gold Award project – Wellness Appreciation Day – unleashed her passion for medicine, which she now studies in college. In Girl Scouts, Christel found opportunities that allowed her to be her authentic self without fear of judgment so that she could embrace new experiences, push boundaries and achieve personal growth.

 

Jacquelyn TrotmanJacquelyn Troutman – Developed the Poise and Confidence to Be a Problem Solver

Jacquelyn says the Girl Scout Media program helped her develop poise and confidence and it has taught her that unconventional thinking is essential to problem solving. Jacquelyn is an innovator who – through Girl Scouts – has learned to create solutions when existing ones are flawed, or when there are no solutions at all.

 

Madeleine FreundlichMadeleine Freundlich – Girl Scouts Propelled her into a College Major: Environmental Policy and Land Use

A backpacking adventure through Oregon on a Girl Scout & NASA program about astronomy made a lasting impression on Madeleine. It allowed her to work with girls from across the country and learn about innovative astronomical methods. Over 13 years as a Girl Scout, Madeleine developed the courage and confidence to pursue her passions, which now include a role at the Vassar Environmental Preserve and a college major in environmental policy and land use analysis.

 

Rihi JainRihi Jhain – Pushed Past Her Fears and Used Her Voice to Empower Others

Earning the Gold Award empowered Rihi to push past her fears and use her voice to empower others. Rihi says that Girl Scouts pushed her outside of her comfort zone and helped her build self-confidence. Ultimately, she discovered that nothing can prevent her from accomplishing her dreams.

 

Samantha DeMartinoSamantha DiMartino – Gained the Confidence to Push Boundaries

Samantha says taking risks while surrounded by supportive Girl Scouts gave her the confidence to push through personal boundaries and do things like teach STEM and serve as a master of ceremonies at large Girl Scouts events. She now describes herself a daily innovator. As for having her face on the Girl Scouts cookie box, she calls it life-changing. As a representative of the Girl Scout brand, she is part of something bigger than herself.

 

Samiyah Abu BakrSamiyah Abu Bakr – Helped Transform an Abandoned Newark Park into a Safe, Vibrant Place for Children

Samiyah considers her greatest Girl Scout accomplishment the Paint Newark Project, which transformed an abandoned Newark park into a safe, vibrant place for children to visit, play and create memories. She says Girl Scouts has presented her opportunities to try new things – including her recent service as a delegate representing New Jersey at the National Governing Meeting of Girl Scouts of the USA.

 

Ginny MarinoGinny Marino, CEO, Girls Scouts of Central & Southern New Jersey: “We want Girls to Stand up and Advocate for Themselves and Their Ideas”

“Too often in our culture, innovative ideas and contributions made by women and girls aren’t recognized,” said Ginny Marino, CEO at Girl Scouts of Central and Southern New Jersey. “We want girls to stand up and advocate for themselves and their ideas, and to never be dismissed. Girl Scouting shows girls that their ideas are smart and workable, and that they can solve challenges before them. In short, it shows them that they are innovators.”

 

Responses for this article were edited for space and clarity.

NJCC 2022 Biz Summit WEB
March 14-15, 2023 | Harrah's Atlantic City

NJ ChamberEdge Archive

Newsmakers

Public Service Electric & Gas officials announced that the utility is lowering gas bills for its residential customers by 23%, effective Feb. 1.

Kathryn Foster

The College of New Jersey President Kathryn Foster donated $250,000 to TCNJ in order to create the Kathryn A. Foster Distinguished Visitor Series – a means to attract high-profile and diverse speakers to campus.

Ralph Izzo

Ralph Izzo, the former CEO and chairman of Public Service Enterprise Group, has been named an honorary lifetime member of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce board of directors, the Chamber announced.

United Airlines is buying 100 Boeing 787 Dreamliners with the option to purchase 100 more new jets that will fly its longest routes and replace less fuel-efficient, decades-old planes. The massive order is a big boost for Boeing from one of its largest customers and comes as United has returned to profitability after the pandemic’s travel slump. The carrier has lately added more international flights thanks to a rebound in demand. United said its order was the largest wide-body sale to a U.S. carrier.

Gary Horan

Longtime N.J. Chamber of Commerce Board member Gary Horan, whose career in health care includes the growth and oversight of Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth and its acquisition by RWJBarnabas Health, announced he is retiring as CEO effective April 14. Horan came to Trinitas in 2001.

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey’s philanthropic arm announced that it awarded more than $1 million in grants to 34 nonprofit organizations in the fourth quarter of 2022. This brings Horizon Foundation’s total grants in 2022 to $2.1 million, benefiting 67 groups.

As part of its nationwide commitment to help bridge the digital divide and support student success, the AT&T Foundation granted $215,000 to organizations in New Jersey in 2022. One of the organizations receiving a grant ($20,000) is the N.J. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's Jobs for America’s Graduates NJ program, dedicated to helping youth graduate high school and make successful transitions to post-secondary education and employment.

Carolyn Welsh

Carolyn Welsh, the new CEO and president of NJ Sharing Network, announced New Jersey’s number of organ donors, 283, and organs transplanted in a single year, 670, reached all-time highs in 2022. These are significant increases over the previous records of 233 organ donors and 613 organs transplanted. It marked the fourth consecutive year NJ Sharing Network has reported new records in the number of organ donors.

RWJBarnabas Health announced several new hires and some transitions to new roles. Frank Pipas has been named as executive vice president, CFO; and Balpreet Grewal-Virk has been named senior vice president, community health. In addition, several executives have transitioned to new roles, including Indu Lew, chief of staff to Mark Manigan, president of RWJBarnabas Health; Robert Adamson, executive vice president and chief information officer; and Robert Pellechio, senior vice president and chief pharmacy officer.

Venuti Kulp

New Jersey American Water recently announced two promotions. Denise Venuti Free, previously director of communications and external affairs, was promoted to senior director of the department. Chelsea Kulp was promoted from manager of external affairs to senior manager of government and external affairs. Both will continue to oversee communications, issues management, media relations and customer education.

Walmart announced that it is raising the minimum wage for its retail store employees to $14. It's about a 17% increase in salary for these workers, who stock shelves and provide customer service. Store employees throughout the U.S. will make between $14 and $19 per hour starting in March. This is an increase from the current wage range of $12 to $18 per hour.

Volunteers from Wells Fargo’s New Jersey and New York offices teamed up with the Bristol Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital for a corporate volunteer day. They assembled 150 care packages for patient caregivers and painted a multipurpose room.

The New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants (NJCPA) collected $35,628 in online monetary donations — its second highest — and 2,727 pounds of nonperishable items for its 13th annual food drive to benefit the Community FoodBank of New Jersey.

Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center recently unveiled a new treatment facility that expands neurological care in Monmouth and Ocean counties. The $2.2 million, nearly 10,000-square-foot Dr. Robert H. Harris Neuroscience Treatment Center houses experts in neurological diseases and conditions and is part of Hackensack Meridian Health’s Neuroscience Institute.

Catherine Tung

Catherine Tung, a former senior adviser to Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin and the former associate executive director of the Assembly Majority Office, has joined McCarter & English as a member of its Government Affairs practice, the firm announced.

The OceanFirst Foundation awarded $40,000 to the Brookdale Community College Foundation, giving it the opportunity to provide 40 $1,000 scholarships to deserving students.

Seton Hall University named Mary Kate Naatus to the position of assistant provost and dean of continuing and professional education. Naatus came to Seton Hall from Saint Peter’s University, where she has served for 12 years, including the last five as KPMG Dean of the Frank J. Guarini School of Business.

Macrosoft was proud to be certified by Great Place to Work®. The award is based entirely on what current employees say about their experience working at Macrosoft. This year, 98% of employees said it’s a great place to work.  This is a full 41 points higher than the average U.S. company.

Callisto