We build girls of courage, confidence, and character.

The staff and board of directors at Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas are dedicated to our mission and the belief that girls have the power to make the world a better place. Our role is to help Girl Scouts flourish—to overcome obstacles, to find and use their voices, and to take the lead, from their classrooms to their communities.

We’re proud of our council, our history, and our Girl Scouts.

Learn about employment opportunities with us and how to contact us.

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Meet our CEO

Dr. Jeanette Ball, Ph.D., leads the council’s strategic direction and operations, advancing Girl Scouts’ mission to build girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place.

She brings more than three decades of leadership experience in education, youth development, strategic planning, community engagement and organizational transformation. Ball served 13 years as a public school superintendent, leading Southwest ISD, Judson ISD, and Uvalde CISD through major initiatives focused on student success, operational improvement, fiscal stewardship, stakeholder trust, and expanded opportunity for young people.

Ball holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Education and Human Resources from Texas A&M University, a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and a Bachelor of Arts in General Studies from Schreiner University. Her professional and community leadership includes service with regional civic and educational organizations such as UP Partnership, the TASA Advocacy Committee, Go Public, San Antonio Rotary, the Bexar County Education Coalition, and the Trinity University Forum Committee.

Dr. Jeanette Ball

Chief Executive Officer

Meet Our Officers

Stephanie Finleon Cortez

Chief Development and Communication Officer

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Stephanie Finleon Cortez was named Chief Development and Communications Officer (CDCO) for Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas on January 18, 2013, after serving as Chief Communications Officer for the council since 2010. Finleon Cortez was among the nation’s first Daisies to join the organization in 1984 and earned the Gold Award in 1997.

She began her career in 2002 as a Membership Manager with Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council in Houston. Two years later, Finleon Cortez returned to her hometown of San Antonio and began her work in communications. As CDCO, she leads the council’s fund development, communications, and business operations departments, including oversight of major giving, corporate and foundation contributions, government grants, special events, public and media relations, marketing, social media, crisis communications, information technology, data analytics, and property management.

Finleon Cortez uses her personal experience as a “grown-up” Girl Scout and Girl Scout Gold Award recipient to communicate the relevance of the organization and advocate for the welfare of girls. This passion inspired her to found Day of the Girl San Antonio in conjunction with the United Nations’ International Day of the Girl each October.

A recognized community leader, Finleon Cortez received the Professional of the Year Award from the San Antonio Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) in 2017 and volunteered as president-elect, president, and immediate past president from 2013-2015. She also received the Spirit of Giving Award from the San Antonio Business Journal and was a graduate of Leadership San Antonio Class 43 in 2018.

She is a proud Red Raider and Roadrunner and holds a bachelor’s degree from the Jerry S. Rawls College of Business at Texas Tech University and a Master in Business Administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She and her husband, Daniel, reside in La Vernia with their son, Joey, and daughter, Lake.

Blythe Simonson

Chief Financial Officer

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Blythe Simonson joined Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas as Chief Financial Officer in 2013 and is a Lifetime Member of Girl Scouts.

A certified public accountant with prior experience in auditing and nonprofit fund accounting, Simonson is responsible for the financial and operational management of the council, including development of the annual and long-term budget, financial forecasts, organizational development and design, human resources, legal and risk management, as well as analysis and commentary on the financial impact of operational and strategic initiatives of the organization.

Before joining Girl Scouts, Simonson served as controller for The Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and Temple Beth-El.

Originally from Clovis, New Mexico, Simonson holds a master’s degree in accounting and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Trinity University. She serves on the finance committee at St. Paul’s Episcopal Montessori School and is an accomplished musician. She and her husband, David, reside in Castroville with their children and family pet, Oliver.

Gina Abad

Chief Mission Officer

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Gina Abad was named Chief Mission Officer (CMO) of Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas on May 1, 2023, and is a Girl Scout alumna. With more than 30 years of experience working for Girl Scouts, most recently as the Director of Member and Volunteer Services, Abad brings a wealth of talent and knowledge to this reimagined role, previously the Chief Operating Officer.

As CMO, Abad oversees mission delivery teams including membership and volunteers, programming and camps, community partners, and Customer Care. These teams drive council-wide growth by offering relevant programs and adult learning opportunities to members while supporting the essential role of our volunteers.

Abad began her career in 1990 in Brownwood, Texas, at what was then the Heart of Texas Girl Scout Council and has been with Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas since 2002, serving as a director in membership development with responsibilities for recruitment, retention, adult learning, and program functions.

With a reputation for dedication and success, Gina received the Best of the Best Recognizing Staff Excellence Award from the council. A proud Roadrunner and active member of Alpha Kappa Delta, Gina holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology with minors in nonprofit management and civic engagement from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She devotes her personal time to family—husband, Celso, two adult children and three grandchildren—and friends in San Antonio.

Meet Our Directors

Iris Toledo

Director of Accounting

Sarah Carlson

Director of Marketing and Communications

Lisa Garcia

Director of Business Operations

Barbara Peña

Director of Membership and Volunteers

Janet Pedrotti

Director of Fund Development

Christina Frazier

Director of Product Program

Cindy Lira

Director of Girl Experience

Meet Our Board of Directors

Our volunteer Board of Directors sets the strategic direction for the council and represents the broad diversity of our membership and the communities we serve. The following officers are serving in their roles for the 2023-25 board years, which began in March 2023.

Lea Ream
Board Chair

Lea Ream has been a board member since 2019. She has practiced law for more than 30 years in San Antonio at the law firm of Davidson Troilo Ream and Garza. Lea’s practice centers on employment law. She assists clients in complying with the vast, ever-changing array of state and federal laws and regulations governing their relationships with employees. She started her career litigating cases but spends most of her time now helping employers avoid claims and lawsuits, or at least being prepared if her clients have to defend against such matters. She provides guidance to management in matters involving discrimination, harassment and retaliation relating to sex, race, ethnicity, age, religion, and health matters; breach of contract; and covenants not to compete, among other things.

After graduating from the Masters Leadership Program, Lea served on the board of the San Antonio Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired for six years, including serving as secretary and vice chair. At Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas, served as the chair of the Board Development Committee from 2022-23 and was elected to serve as the 1st vice chair of the board in March 2023.

Lea and her husband, Marcas, are now empty nesters—with their daughter working in Mexico as a designer and their son in school in Lubbock, where he and his wife reside.

Lea and Marcas are committed to scouting. Both of their children were dedicated scouts with their daughter earning both the Girl Scout Bronze Award and Girl Scout Silver Award and their son earning his Eagle Scout Award.

Lea was a Brownie as a child and served as the troop leader for their daughter’s Girl Scout troop for seven years.

Gwendolyn Jaramillo

1st Vice Chair

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Gwendolyn Jaramillo has been a board member since April 2018. She is a Lifetime Member of Girl Scouts and a Gold Award Girl Scout. She serves as general counsel for Silver Ventures, Inc., a private equity firm that builds small food companies into large enterprises. It is best known for its mixed-use, master-planned community “The Pearl” developed on the former ruins of the Pearl Brewery.

Prior to that, she worked for Foley Hoag LLP for almost 20 years, the last 6 and a half of which she served as partner. Her diversified international practice encompassed transactional, trade, general corporate, and public advocacy concerns.

Jaramillo has been a steering committee member for the Women & Girls Development Fund of the San Antonio Area Foundation since January 2017. She is a member of the Texas Bar Association, San Antonio Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and peace studies from Swarthmore College and a juris doctor from the University of Chicago Law School.

Monica Moore Gonzalez

2nd Vice Chair

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Monica Gonzalez has been a board member and on the Fund Development Committee since 2015. She currently serves as the 2nd vice chair of the board and the chair of the Fund Development committee. Gonzalez is the Director Employee Relations and Programs for Valero Energy Corporation. She is a Human Resource professional and strategic business partner with over 20 years of diversified experience in employee relations, recruitment, employment law, and employee programs. She has proven experience in the creation, implementation, and management of diverse human resource functions.

Gonzalez earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from St. Mary’s University, and a Master’s of Business Administration degree from Webster University. She holds a certification as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR). Gonzalez is a member of the Leadership San Antonio Class 45. She was on the 2018 United Way Community Campaign Cabinet and an active volunteer with Meals on Wheels.

Amy Perry

Secretary

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Amy Perry served as Executive Vice President-Strategic Development & General Counsel of NuStar Energy L.P., which was a publicly traded midstream logistics company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas prior to its acquisition in May 2024. In her role with NuStar, Ms. Perry led NuStar’s strategic planning, investor relations, corporate development and capital project development, as well as NuStar’s legal department, and she also served as NuStar’s Governance, Ethics & Compliance Officer.

Prior to joining NuStar, Ms. Perry served as Counsel Corporate Law for Valero Energy Corporation. Prior to Valero, she practiced corporate, mergers and acquisitions and securities law at DLA Piper in New York City and at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati in Austin, Texas.

Ms. Perry holds a Bachelor of Arts (Sociology major/Journalism minor, Phi Beta Kappa, Magna Cum Laude) and a Master of Art (Sociology) from the University of Missouri-Columbia, where she also worked as a Research Assistant performing multidisciplinary quantitative research, and a Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law.

Ms. Perry is active in the San Antonio community. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas, and she has previously served on the Boards of The Winston School of San Antonio, Clarity Child Guidance Center, Guardian House, the San Antonio Humane Society and the Witte Museum. She also provided pro bono legal support, including serving as its Corporate Secretary, for Haven for Hope of Bexar County, a homeless transformation campus in San Antonio.

Amy Grubbs

Treasurer

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Amy Grubbs has been a board member since January 2019 and is a Lifetime Member of Girl Scouts. She serves as a Managing Director in Assurance Services at Ernst & Young LLP, where she began her career in 1997, serving privately owned companies in San Antonio and south Texas.

A CPA, Grubbs has led audits of multinational companies and has an extensive background assisting clients with complex accounting and financial reporting issues, such as acquisition and divestiture transactions, debt and equity transactions, and adoption of new accounting standards. Her industry focus includes retail and consumer product companies.

Grubbs holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Michigan State University. She is a member of the American Institute of CPAs and the Texas Society of CPS, and she serves as treasurer and advisory board member of the San Antonio Young Women’s Leadership Academy Foundation.

Board Members-At-Large 2026-2027

Melanie Bagby

Dr. Sarah Baray

Sara Brouillard

Rebecca Brune

Jen Daugherty

Dr. Gretcha Flinn

Kim Ford

Rosemary Gee

Dr. Cindy Johnston

Michelle Martinez

Makayla Matheson

Anthony Medina

Erika Prosper

Brandyn Rodriguez

Maritza Rodriguez

Dr. Atikah Shemshack

Claudia Smithwick

Annie Uribe Turner

Dr. Jeanette Ball, Ex Officio

Ex Officio Girl Board Members, 2026-2027

Portrait of Rachel Sherman, Girl Board Chair

Milana Dudley
Girl Board Chair

Members:

Melody Davidoff

Ayla Francis

Akshara Gurrala

Ariana Gutierrez

Amaya Hill

Adalon Montes

Amilia Moore

Wendy Sauceda

Yuliana Sauceda

Sarah Vasquez

Chloe Verducci

Learn more about becoming an Ex Officio Girl Board member.

Board Development Committee 2026-2027

Board development committee members are elected by GSSWT's membership to recommend candidates for the board of directors and the board development committee. The board development committee presents the following for delegate vote at every annual council meeting:

a single slate of nominees for officers of the council;
a single slate of nominees for directors; and
a single slate of nominees for members of the nominating committee.

Every three years, the board development committee also presents a single slate of regional delegates and regional delegate alternates.

GSSWT accepts potential board member and nominating committee member referrals year-round for a single slate presented at our annual council meeting. We place a high priority on recruiting women and men from diverse geographic and racial/ethnic communities.

Board Members

Annie Uribe Turner, Committee Chair

Becca Brune

Dr. Gretcha Flinn

Amy Perry

Dr. Atikah Shemshack

Community Members

Danielle Monroe

Jennifer Neal

Sidney Turpin

Governance

Learn more about our strategic direction and our bylaws, and find board meeting dates.

LEARN MORE

About Us

Learn more about Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas and what we offer.

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Council Finder

Our Leadership

We build girls of courage, confidence, and character.

Meet our CEO

Dr. Jeanette Ball

Meet Our Officers

Stephanie Finleon Cortez

Chief Development and Communication Officer

Blythe Simonson

Chief Financial Officer

Gina Abad

Chief Mission Officer

Meet Our Directors

Meet Our Board of Directors

Lea Ream
Board Chair

Board Members-At-Large 2026-2027

Ex Officio Girl Board Members, 2026-2027

Board Development Committee 2026-2027

We build girls of courage, confidence, and character.

Meet our CEO

Dr. Jeanette Ball

Meet Our Officers

Stephanie Finleon Cortez

Chief Development and Communication Officer

Blythe Simonson

Chief Financial Officer

Gina Abad

Chief Mission Officer

Meet Our Directors

Meet Our Board of Directors

Lea Ream Board Chair

Board Members-At-Large 2026-2027

Ex Officio Girl Board Members, 2026-2027

Board Development Committee 2026-2027

Lea Ream
Board Chair