Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida Announces New Board Members

At the recent annual meeting of Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida, Tula Hudson-Miller was elected chair and Kimberly Kisslan as vice chair, both for a second term. In addition, four new board members and two new Girl Advisory Members have joined the board.

Joining the Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida Board of Directors are:

Mary Gavin, managing partner at Sol Foods LLC, is a retired franchise executive and consultant with more than 30 years of experience in the food industry. Gavin has provided expertise to restaurant groups including EVOS, Fresh Kitchen and Bolay, specializing in operations analysis. After earning a B.S. in Electronic Engineering and Computer Science from the University of Cincinnati, she began her career at Digital Equipment Corporation in Field Engineering and Executive Management. Gavin later transitioned into the food service industry as a Territory Director and Market Manager for Taco Bell, overseeing 150 locations, leading marketing efforts in Miami-Fort Lauderdale, and becoming a franchisee. She expanded her portfolio to include Krystal Hamburgers franchises and later served as CEO of YUM! Brands, managing 169 KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut locations for Encanto Restaurants.

Shirley Gordon, Professor Emeritus at FAU’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, is a nationally certified expert in school nursing, advanced holistic nursing, and health and wellness nurse coaching. She has received prestigious awards, including the National Outstanding School Nurse Educator Award. A dedicated community leader, Gordon serves in the Federal Medical Reserve Nurse Corps and as a grant reviewer. A lifelong advocate for service, she attributes her passion for helping others to her early involvement in Girl Scouts, where she joined as a Brownie and continued through high school as a member of Mariner Ship #1. As a Girl Scout, she developed a commitment to community service, a passion for helping others and the confidence to pursue her dreams.

Charles Michelson, principal of Saltz Michelson Architects; a 33-person firm in Broward County, where he manages operations, client relations, and project oversight. Specializing in medical and government architecture, Michelson leads planning, feasibility studies, and public building projects. As Principal-in-Charge of the firm’s medical projects, he is board-certified in healthcare architecture by the American College of Healthcare Architects (ACHA), a credential held by fewer than 500 professionals in the U.S. and Canada. Michelson also serves on the Board of Directors of the South Florida Hospital & Health Care Association (SFHHA), contributing to medical community leadership. Michelson previously served as a member of the Board of Directors of Girl Scouts of Broward County and was one of the inaugural members of the Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida Board in 2008. He is a longstanding member of the Finance Committee.

Jennifer Montalto, co-founder of the Gina Rose Montalto Memorial Foundation, established the foundation in honor of her daughter. The Foundation provides financial assistance for students pursuing post-secondary education and supports charitable causes that were important to Gina. Montalto and the Foundation actively support the Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida, sponsoring the Silver Award Showcase and awarding an annual scholarship to a local Girl Scout who earns the prestigious Gold Award.

Returning board members include Kathleen Hillman, president of VetraPure; Deborah Johnson, president and CEO of Trustbridge Hospice Foundation; Katrina Long-Robinson, vice president of public and government relations for Cornerstone Solutions; Nancy Proffitt, president of Proffitt Management Solutions, Inc.; Ofelia Utset, president of Deluge Biotechnologies; Denise Valz, retired CEO of Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida; and Kenyatta Connaway, CEO of Kenyatta Speaks.

“The strength of our organization lies in the dedication of our board members, who bring diverse perspectives and expertise to further our mission,” said Lisa Johnson, CEO of Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida. “With this dynamic leadership team, we are poised to expand opportunities for Girl Scouts throughout Southeast Florida and continue building a strong foundation for the future.”

Also representing the voice of Girl Scouts are two new Girl Advisory members, Eliani Carr-Betts and Ella Evans. Carr-Betts is an 11th grade student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, who has earned Bronze and Silver Awards and is currently working toward the Gold Award. She has served as an 11th grade senator and social media manager, introduced Girl Scouts to Drake Irish Dance and actively participates in Council programs, including overnight camping and product sales. Evans, a 10th grade student at Dr. Joaquin Garcia High School in Lake Worth, has also earned Bronze and Silver Awards. Evans is an inaugural member of the CEO Girl Advisory Committee, a member of GSSEF Media Girlz since 2020 and a top seller with the CEO Extreme Team. She is active in Jack and Jill of America Inc., serving as corresponding secretary on its Teen Executive Board, and participates in Future Health Professionals, STEM enrichment programs and Key Club at her school.

For more information about Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida and ways to get involved, visit www.gssef.org