Margaret Renwand, President of Girl Scout Staff Association

We are saddened to share the passing of Margaret Renwand. We are forever grateful for Margaret's service to our Movement and our association.

Margaret was a homegrown Girl Scout and served the Movement for 43 years in several positions at Girl Scout councils, including council CEO, and GSUSA. 

She assumed the role of CEO at Girl Scouts-Fox valley Council in Aurora, IL (now Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois) where she served for six years. In 2004 Margaret was hired by Girl Scouts of the USA to serve as the CEO of USA Girl Scouts Overseas - North Atlantic. She returned to the USA after seven years abroad to continue with GSUSA as a Management Consultant. She started the GSUSA National Volunteer Partner Program, served on the GSUSA National Convention Team for several years, and finished her career as the Executive Director of USA Girl Scouts Overseas in 2021.

Margaret has been an active member of the Girl Scout Staff Association throughout her career and served on the National GSSA Board as a Member at-Large, Fund Development Chair, Secretary, and as a Vice-President. She was elected as the President of GSSA in 2021 and served in that role until her resignation on March 22nd, 2024 - just days before her death. As always, she served the GSSA with both her head and her heart. Supporting, and refocusing the GSSA back to its roots of enhancing professional excellence for all Girl Scout Staff. With her leadership the GSSA was able to announce a revised Memorandum of Understanding with GSUSA at the 2023 National Convention as part of a three year strategy to position GSSA as the best advocate for Girl Scout Staff throughout our movement.

Margaret was a member of the Board of the World Foundation of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts until her passing. She also served as a member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) volunteer pool in the area of organizational development.

Margaret was a Lifetime Member of GSUSA and the GSSA, as well as a member of the Juliette Gordon Low Society. Margaret has won numerous awards and recognitions in her time, including the Girl Scout Thanks Badge and the US Army's Outstanding Civilian Service Medal.

Margaret was also very active in her hometown. She was active in her church and served on its finance committee.  She is a past member of Kiwanis where she help leadership roles in Akron, Ohio and Aurora, Illinois. 

She had a zest for living and held true to our Promise and Law. Her kindness, compassion, and loyalty were her gifts to the world. With Margaret at your side, you knew that no matter how hard things were, she was there to bring light and love, and a healthy dose of great advice to help you through those tough times.

She truly was a sister to every Girl Scout.

You can view her obituary here.

If your membership in the GSSA has lapsed, please consider renewing your membership to help us carry the vision of the GSSA being the best place for current and former professional Girl Scouts to elevate one another and our movement. You can honor Margaret Renwand with a memorial or tribute gift to the Girl Scout Staff Association here. 

We invite you to share your memories of Margaret below.