Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles Names Senior Management Team

Press release from Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles:

Sept. 10, 2021

Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles (GSGLA) announced today that Zellie Hudson has joined the organization as Controller and Rebecca Hutchinson has joined as Director of Marketing & Communications, rounding out the Senior Management Team for the largest girl-serving nonprofit in Los Angeles. Kathryn “Katie” Nielsen also joins Marketing & Communications as Senior Manager, PR, Communications & Events.

Hudson and Hutchinson will oversee their departments’ contribution to GSGLA’s strategic direction, operational efficiency, and growth in the greater Los Angeles community.

“As we work to ensure every girl in Los Angeles has the life-changing opportunity to be part of the Girl Scout movement, we are committed to hiring a uniquely talented team that is deeply committed to our mission,” said Theresa Edy Kiene, CEO, Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles. “We are excited to have Zellie, Rebecca and Katie on board; each brings a wealth of experience to our Council.”

In his role as Controller, Zellie Hudson leads the Finance & Risk Management Team and is responsible for managing all accounting activities, financial reporting, auditing, forecasting, budgeting, and risk management for the organization. He comes to GSGLA with 20 years of accounting and finance management experience with both non-profit and for-profit organizations. He was most recently Interim Controller/Finance Director at Clare/Matrix and the Jewish Federation. Prior, Hudson was CFO/Controller at KJLH 102.3, Controller/CFO at After-School All-Stars and the Los Angeles Urban League, and Finance Director at Angeles Girl Scout Council in Santa Monica. Additionally, he was Controller for Kelly Paper Company. Hudson has a BA in Accounting/Business Administration from UC Santa Barbara and an MBA in Finance from Keller Graduate School.

As Director of Marketing & Communications, Rebecca Hutchinson leads development, implementation, and evaluation of all marketing strategies, building brand awareness and marketplace positioning for the Council. She is overseeing a departmental reorganization initiated to best serve GSGLA’s diverse communities. The lion’s share of Hutchinson’s 25-year career has centered on cause-related marketing communications and community engagement, with a focus on women’s empowerment, social justice, and education. Most recently, she consulted with Children’s Institute and prior to that, was Vice President of Communications and Development at Imagine LA. Earlier in her career, Hutchinson worked in the LA and DC offices of global PR agency Porter Novelli, and at two LA-based PR firms, with brands like Nissan, Evite, Salt & Straw, the Alzheimer’s Association, UNICEF, and several schools. She earned her BA from Amherst College and her MA in Communications Management from the Annenberg School for Communication at USC. She serves on the Board of FilmLA, Larchmont Charter School and is a past director of The Ebell of Los Angeles.

In her role as Senior Manager of PR, Communications and Events, Katie Nielsen is responsible for the creative development and implementation of all GSGLA communications efforts. Just prior to joining GSGLA, she led the marketing team at Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast, where she also served on the Marketing Advisory Committee of Girl Scouts USA, a role she will continue at GSGLA. Nielsen has a BA in Communications from California State University Channel Islands.

Hudson, Hutchinson and Nielsen will be based out of the organization’s downtown Los Angeles headquarters.

This press release was produced by Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles. The views expressed here are the author's own.