Executive Office

Jo Dee Catlin Jacob

Chief Executive Officer

Jo Dee C. Jacob is Chief Executive Officer of Girl Scouts, San Diego-Imperial Council, which serves 40,000 girl and adult members. During 2007, the council celebrated the 90th anniversary of Girl Scouting in San Diego.

Ms. Jacob was named as San Diego Business Journal's Most Admired Chief Executive Officer, received a Nonprofit Leadership Fellowship to Harvard Business School, earned an Executive Excellence Award from Nonprofit Management Solutions, and was honored by the San Diego Woman's Club. During her time as Girl Scouts' CEO, the council has been named Nonprofit Organization of the Year by San Diego Magazine, received the San Diego Business Journal Multicultural Heritage Award and a Friends of Balboa Park Millennium Award, and was designated by AARP as a "National Best Employer for Workers Over 50."

A former Brownie Girl Scout, Ms. Jacob is committed to ensuring that every local girl has the opportunity to participate in Girl Scouting. She has strengthened the council's outreach to the Hispanic community, increasing Latina membership by almost 1,000 girls. Under her direction, the council introduced a new Healthy Girls, Healthy Lives initiative. Ms. Jacob joined the council in 2001, following a distinguished 27-year career in the U.S. Navy, where she attained the rank of Captain. A pioneer for women in the all-volunteer force, she was the first, only, or most senior woman assigned in 12 of her 15 tours of duty.

She used her military savvy to originate Operation Thin Mint^® in 2002. Since then, local Girl Scouts have teamed up with the community to send nearly 1.5 million boxes of Girl Scout cookies and countless notes of support to deployed U.S. troops. In 2003, Operation Thin Mint^® won a national Silver Anvil Award for excellence from the Public Relations Society of America.

Ms. Jacob holds degrees from Stanford University and Pepperdine University. A member of the San Diego Rotary Club's board of directors, she is a Paul Harris Fellow and received Rotary International's Cliff Docterman Award for her service to Scouting.
 
 

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Board of Directors

The Board of Directors of Girl Scouts, San Diego-Imperial Council is comprised of a diverse group of 26 volunteers who are community leaders and professionals. They ensure that the Girl Scout mission is carried out in San Diego and Imperial counties. Board members are selected for their commitment to improving the lives of girls as well as their leadership, volunteer and nonprofit experience, ability to make financial contributions to Girl Scouts, professional and educational background, and knowledge of the community. They are chosen by the Board Development Committee and elected by the voting members of the Council. Board members can serve up to two three-year terms.

The role of the Board of Directors is one of governance. Their responsibilities include strategic planning, fund development, appointment of the Executive Director, financial oversight, and interaction with the community. Questions, comments, or referrals for Board of Directors or Board Development Committee can be directed to the Office of the Chief Executive Officer.
 
 

Executive Board

Chair Katie Sullivan Community Volunteer	Treasurer Beth Fischer Division President Pardee Homes
Vice Chair Debbie Rider Community Volunteer	Secretary Ben Hamson Vice President, Staffing QUALCOMM
Directors at Large
Melyn Acasio Vice President/Senior Relationship Manager Security Business Bank of San Diego Michael Baker Executive VP/CEO Bob Baker Auto Enterprises Inc. Rick Brooks Vice President, Investment Manager Blankinship & Foster, LLC - Family Wealth Advisers Sharon Cohen Assistant General Counsel FERC Regulatory - Sempra Energy Jim Collins CEO Janus Health, Inc. Tracey DeBello Community Volunteer Etet Deguia Managing Director Marsh Julie Dubick Chief of Staff San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders Chris Guglielmo VP Human Resources Jenny Craig, Inc. Karen Hewitt Partner Jones Day Dale Jekov Director Deloitte	Shannon Kelly Sr. Vice President/General Manager, West Region 21st Century Insurance and Financial Services Keith McKenzie Partner Delphi Private Advisors Pamela Gray Payton Assistant Vice President, Office of Public Affairs University of San Diego Hollyce Phillips Community Volunteer Bobbie J. Quick Community Volunteer Lori Rappaport Licensed Clinical Psychologist Rosa Maria Robles Auditor Department of Resources, Recycling & Recovery Suzy Spafford CEO Suzy's Zoo Lori Walton Community Volunteer Marcie Whichard Vice President Animal Care Education & Compliance PETCO Animal Supplies, Inc. Berenice Zamaro Vice President and Manager Union Bank Shelley Zimmerman Assistant Chief of Police The City of San Diego