Area Girl Scout council president named national CEO (Nashville, TN area)

The Tenneseean ^ | 8/26/03 | Carrie Ferguson

[RonF]

Kathy Cloninger, the head of the local Girl Scout council who saw membership grow by 38% during her tenure here, has a new job — CEO of the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A.

''I'm completely in awe,'' Cloninger said yesterday. ''It's a big challenge, but a fabulous opportunity for me to continue my passion for this work that I do.''

Cloninger, 52, has been president and CEO of the Girl Scout Council of the Cumberland Valley since 1993. The local council serves 26,000 girls; the national membership is 3.9 million girls and has a $62 million annual operating budget.

Cloninger, who also has been CEO of councils in Texas and Colorado, was unanimously chosen to be the national CEO during a Sunday night board of directors meeting.

Under her direction, the local council reached out and embraced more minority and international girls and upgraded campgrounds so they would be accessible to girls with disabilities.

Deborah Faulkner, Metro acting police chief and a Girl Scout board member, said: ''Under Kathy's leadership, the Cumberland Valley Girl Scout Council has grown in leaps and bounds.

''She really deep down inside cares about her staff, her volunteers, the parents and the girls. The sincerity she has given to Nashville is the real deal.''

[RonF]

Given the reputation of the GSUSA on here, I thought you'd all find this particular quote from this article significant:

She and her husband, Mike Williams, a songwriter, also are known for the weekly songwriter gathering ''The Six Chair Picking Party'' at their home.

Apparently she's a Dallas native.

[netmilsmom]

After running a Daisy Troop last year, I can tell you that the GSUSA are money grubbing lesbians.

The people who run the troops are hard working all giving moms who truly care about the girls. The councils leave much to be desired.