Executive Compensation at the Girl Scouts (2024)

The Girl Scouts of the United States of America (Girl Scouts) is a tax-exempt, non-profit 501 (c) (3) based in New York, NY. With more than 1.8 million members (an estimated 1.1 million girl members and about 750,000 member volunteers) the Girl Scouts works to build “courage, confidence, and character” in young girls.

There are 28 independent voting members (board members) of the governing body (board), although 30 are listed on the Form 990 (2022 for the year ending September 30, 2023) due to timing differences – 23 of the 30 (77%) listed are female while 7 of the 30 (23%) are male.

In 2024, the Girl Scouts reported total revenue of $118 million most of which came from membership dues ($39 million), contributions, gifts, and grants ($18 million), and sale of inventory ($25 million).

Expenses totaled $118 million (including $8 million in depreciation) with the largest expenses reported to be compensation ($49 million), office-related expenses ($30 million), and fees for services ($17 million of which $5 million is to Salesforce).

405 employees received $49 million  in compensation – or an average of $121,000 each (although the organization also spent $5 million with Salesforce in 2023).  154 employees received more than $100,000.  The most highly compensated employee was Bonnie Barczykowski, the CEO  who received $732,514 in compensation.

In 2023-2024, there were many staff changes including a new CEO (Bonnie Barcykowski) who replaced a CEO, Sofia Chang (who was CEO for a year), COO, CFO, CMO, CDO, CHR, and officers (see below):

The 17 most highly compensated employees were reported to be:

• $732,514:  Bonnie Barczykowski, CEO
• $689,513:  Brandt Haynes, Former COO, Head of Transformation (thru 1/2024)
• $428,344:  Angela Olden, Former Chief Financial Officer (thru 11/2023)
• $449,938:  Jocelyn Johnson, Former Chief Marketing Officer (thru 12/2023)
• $448,454:  Sharon Naya, Chief Planning and Strategy Officer
• $440,010:  Shelley Goode, Former Chief Development Officer (thru 3/2024)
• $414,997:  Wendy Lou, Chief Revenue Officer
• $400,085:  Maureen McNerney, Former Chief HR Officer (thru 10/2023)
• $393,848:  Sydna Kelley, Chief Technology Officer
• $307,635:  Alexandra Traber, Chief Corp Affairs Officer
• $303,465:  Kenneth Distefano, Chief Financial Officer (as of 7/2024)
• $293,132:  Diana Beinart, Chief General Counsel
• $276,822:  Kathleen Cusack, VP, Social and Data Martech
• $268,055:  Sue Santa, SVP, Public Policy and Advocacy
• $266,128:  Joseph Veno, SVP, Corporate Treasurer
• $265,371:  Dianne Rieger, VP, Foundational Services
• $262,606:   Monica Leardi, SVP, Controller

The most highly compensated employee was the new CEO, Bonnie Barczykowski who received $732.514, who replaced Sofia Chang who received $800,000 in 2023,, who replaced Sylvia Acevedo, a former CEO who received $1.6 million in 2021 although she departed in August, 2020 and received more than $3 million in compensation from 2018-2022.

Since so many of the highly compensated employees have not been at the Girl Scouts for years, a historical summary of their respective compensation through the years is not provided in this post.

11 of the 14 most highly compensated employees are female while 3 of the 14 are male (note: Gender is not disclosed on the Form 990; determinations were made based on name and google searches).

It is important to note the Girl Scouts had $188 million in net assets at the beginning of 2020.  In April, 2020 the Girl Scouts received $7.3 million as a payroll protection program (PPP) loan, which was accounted for as deferred revenue but was reclassified as grant revenue when the conditions for the loan were met and the loan forgiven by the Small Business Loan Administration in July, 2021.  In May, 2021, the Girl Scouts received a second PPP loan in the amount of $2 million which was treated as deferred revenue (and forgiven in 2022). By the end of 2021, net assets were $219 million – more than $30 million higher than before the pandemic.

In 2021-2022, the Girl Scouts experienced a different crisis that resulted from their investments.  In 2022, the Girl Scouts posted a $39 million deterioration in net assets due to unrealized losses on investments and pension losses, resulting in a decrease from $219 million at the beginning of the year to $181 million at the end of the year that was partially offset by $2 million in unspent revenue in 2022. It is important to note the Girl Scouts had $39 million in investments in Central America and the Caribbean at year-end.

In 2022-2023, there was a modest improvement in net assets which grew from $181 million to $187 million:  not because the organization spent less (expenses actually exceeded revenue by $8 million) but because the organization reported $13 million in unrealized gains and made a $2 million adjustment (a pension gain) to net assets.

In 2023-2024, the Girl Scouts spent total revenue collected ($118 million) but reported $17 million in unrealized gains on investments which was partially offset by a $2 million adjustment to net assets.  The bottom line is net assets increased from $187 million at the beginning of the year to $202 million at the end of the year.

The question begs:  Why  does a non-profit with more than $200 million in net assets get loans of $9 million loan from the government that will be forgiven? The organization could clearly absorb the costs of keeping their employees (as they were also able to pay for first class or charter travel and make gross up payments and provide tax indemnifications in 2020; note these expenses were discontinued in 2021). And, it is important to note the Girl Scouts had 80 less employees in 2021 than in 2020.

69 independent contractors received more than $100,000 in compensation with the five (5) highest reported to be:

• $5 million:  Salesforce, of San Francisco, CA for technical services (staffing)
• $4 million:  Progressive Distribution Centers, of Melvindale, MI for warehouse and fulfillment
• $2 million:  Venables Bell and Partners, of San Francisco, CA for marketing
• $2 million:  Tech Holding, of Glendale, CA for tech services
• $2 million:  Symbia of Colorado, of Commerce City, CO for warehouse and fulfillment

To read the IRS Form 990 (2023 for the year ending September 30, 2024), click here.