Sofia Chang becomes first Asian American CEO of Girl Scouts of USA in its 110-year history

Girl Scouts of the United States (GSUSA) announced Dec. 14 that the company has appointed former Warner Media executive Sofia Chang as its chief executive officer.

Chang will be GSUSA’s first AAPI CEO, effective Jan. 27. She is taking over for Interim CEO Judith Batty, who came out of retirement to fill the role in August 2020.

Chang is a lifetime member, a member of the Juliette Gordon Low (JGL) Society, according to a news release.

“As a mother to a Girl Scout Junior, I have seen first-hand the positive impact of Girl Scouts,” she said in the news release. “I am honored to join the Movement and to serve our councils, our volunteers, and our girls. I had the great fortune of working with tremendous leaders including many women leaders who broke through ceilings and then advocated for me to break some of my own. As Girl Scouts approaches its 110th year of service, the mission to develop and create opportunities for all girls is more critical than ever.”

Chang joins GSUSA after three decades working in the private sector and 20 years at HBO/Warner Media. She has worked as part of the Time Warner Foundation board, HBO’s AAPI resource group and was in HBO’s diversity council. Chang, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, continues to serve on the board of the UPenn’s Professional Women’s Alliance, which provides young alumni with professional development and networking opportunities.

GSUSA National Board Chair Karen P. Layng said the search committee was “taken by her energy, passion, and collaborative approach to leadership” when they first met Chang.

“Sofia will bring decades of experience in driving digital transformation, expanding membership, and creating unique partnerships as we evolve the organization to the next century of service,” Layng said.

“Sofia is an extremely accomplished woman, and I am excited to see her impact on the direction of the Movement,” Batty said. “With our updated programming and branding efforts, the Movement is poised to seize the opportunities the future holds, reaching more girls than ever before and increasing the pipeline of future women leaders. Sofia is the right person to advance the Girl Scout’s mission in this changed world.”

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