The Girl Scout Council of Colonial Coast recognized Williamsburg resident and Executive Director of the United Way of Greater Williamsburg Sharon Gibson-Ellis at their annual Famous Former Girl Scout Luncheon on Nov. 8.
This event is an opportunity for the Council to honor the local Girl Scout alumnae who exemplify the values of Girl Scouts and who are making a difference in the community. From the arts to the sciences, there are thousands of women leaders who attribute their leadership successes to their participation in Girl Scouting. These outstanding women inspire girls and send a strong message that girls can be leaders.
“There is no doubt that Sharon Gibson-Ellis has dedicated her life to improving the lives of others,” according to a press release on the event. “She has worked as the Chief Executive Officer of four different United Ways in the last 36 years.”
“I can’t think of a job more suited to my personality and my personal goal of assuring that all residents have the chance to succeed,” Gibson-Ellis said.
Gibson-Ellis has written and taught a nonprofit management certificate program to over 120 different students through the community college system. Over the past 25 years, she has taught over 400 workshops on board development.
In 1999, she was awarded the Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the Year Award for her work at the United Way. She also received the Bev Larson Improving Lives Award for her volunteer service and the John Stotsenberg Community Award for her community work with underprivileged populations.
Gibson-Ellis attributes her self-assurance and ability to follow through on her commitments to her membership with the Girl Scouts. “It is always good to look back and be thankful for those people and organizations that changed your life, and for me that was the Girl Scouts,” she said.
The Girl Scout Research Institute has found that women who were Girl Scouts display significantly more positive life outcomes than women who were never Girl Scouts. About 64 percent of today’s women leaders in the United States, including in civic, corporate and political settings, were once Girl Scouts.
“The Famous Former Girl Scout Luncheon is an opportunity for the Girl Scout Council of Colonial Coast to not only identify these role models in the community, but also to show appreciation for the volunteers who are giving their time and talents to make a difference in the lives of girls,” according to the press release.
Girl Scout Council of Colonial Coast, a United Way Agency, serves more than 16,000 girls in grades K through 12 and has over 6,000 adult volunteers in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina.
