Governance | GSHCC

Supporting Girl Scouts Heart of Central California’s mission.

The council’s governing body, known as the Representative Assembly, provides strategic direction, fiduciary oversight, and leadership for the council. The Representative Assembly is the body of all voting members of the Council. The Assembly members are responsible for electing the Board of Directors and National Council Delegates, providing input for policy decisions, influencing the general lines of direction for Girl Scouting locally, and amending the bylaws and articles of incorporation.

The Representative Assembly is comprised of the council’s voting members and includes the Board of Directors, National Council Delegates, and Service Unit Representatives.

The governance process provides a structure for communication between the membership and the Board of Directors to influence policy regarding the council's goals, matters affecting girls, and matters affecting the business of the organization.

Read our Bylaws.

Board of Directors toggle arrow

The Board of Directors is the primary governing body for Girl Scouts Heart of Central California. The Board is responsible for setting the council’s strategic direction, ensuring necessary resources, providing oversight, monitoring performance, and influencing decisions made on behalf of the council.

Board Minutes:

Board Development Committee toggle arrow

The Board Development Committee is charged with the identification, cultivation, recruitment, and replenishment of members of the Board of Directors, Board committees, and in corresponding years, National Council Delegates and Alternates.

Fran Halbakken, Chair – Retired Assistant City Manager, City of Sacramento

Twiana Armstrong - Consultant, It's Personal Enterprises

Jane Einhorn - Owner, 2JS Public Relations

Johnny Garcia - Owner, Got It All Insurance

LeShelle May - Senior Development Manager, CNN

Kimberly Mayes (ex-officio) - Corporate Diversity and Inclusion Office/Vice President, BHR Strategic Talent, Intel Corporation

Youth Representative to the Board of Directors toggle arrow

A Girl Board Member, also called a Director-at-Large, is elected by the Representative Assembly for a single two (2) year term.

Serving on the GSHCC Board of Directors provides Girl Scouts in high school with the opportunity to develop real-world leadership skills necessary for a business environment, have a voice in decision-making, and explore networking opportunities, among other benefits.

Girl Board members may also be asked to join a Board Committee, speak on their experiences in Girl Scouting, or participate in other Board activities.

View the Girl Board Member Position.

Fill out the Girl Board Member Application.

2026 58th National Council Session toggle arrow

58^th National Council Session—July 20-25, 2026, will be the 58^thNCS in Washington D.C. NCS is the national business meeting of GSUSA where Delegates from every council across the nation and USA Girl Scouts Overseas meet to discuss, debate, and vote on issues important to the Girl Scout Movement and elect national leaders for the next triennium (three years). National Council Delegates are elected every three years and serve for that GSUSA Triennium. Applications for this next triennium (2025-2028) have closed but will open again in 2027.

Learn more about NCS event info and registration.

2026 NCS Delegate position description.

Apply to be a Delegate.

Service Unit Representatives toggle arrow

Service Unit Representatives are the voice of the members, bringing the concerns of the membership to the attention of the GSHCC Board of Directors and leadership staff.

Service Unit Representatives are appointed by the Service Unit Operations Lead or, in their absence, a council staff member, and are accountable to the members of their service unit. Service Unit Representatives shall be appointed for a term of two years or until their successors are appointed.

All representatives are volunteers. Service Unit Representatives are responsible for keeping their members informed of Board communications, surveys, discussion items, etc.

Service Unit Representatives are active registered members of the Girl Scouts of the USA and at least fourteen (14) years of age, and:

have the ability to cooperate and work with others
have a willingness to take training for the position
become familiar with the bylaws, structure and, goals of the Council
have mature judgment to make informed decisions affecting the lives of girls
have the ability to look toward the future and analyze trends and community needs
make the time commitment to actively participate in the democratic process.

For more information view the Representative Manual.

Annual Meeting toggle arrow

The annual meeting takes place each September. At the Annual Meeting, members of the Representative Assembly will:

Hear reports on what was accomplished.
Learn information on future Girl Scout plans.
Elect board of directors and national council delegates from a single slate (a portion of the Board positions will be on the ballot each year; National Council Delegates are elected every 3 years).
Participate in major governance issues.
Honor persons who have been members for 20+ years with anniversary pins.

Forums

At least one forum will be held annually, conducted in various locations or virtually. Representatives are expected to attend and actively participate in the discussions.

Forums may be used to obtain input on:

The future of the Girl Scout movement
Major governance issues
Relevant discussions as requested by the Board of Directors
Relevant discussions as requested by GSHCC staff
The operation of the Representative Assembly

Have more questions about our Governance structure? Read our FAQs.