IRVINE, Calif. – Girl Scouts of Orange County (GSOC) announced today that its Board of Directors has named Victoria (Vikki) Shepp as the organization’s next Chief Executive Officer effective January 1, 2018. In this role, Shepp will work in partnership with the GSOC Board of Directors and executive team to lead the organization in creating the best leadership development experiences for all girls in Orange County and provide strategic direction and oversight to ensure operational excellence, financial sustainability, and achievement of the organization’s fundraising goals. Shepp will also work in partnership with Girl Scouts of the USA to carry out the national organization’s mission and strategy and address GSOC’s charter commitments.
Shepp joined the Girl Scouts of Orange County staff as a Program Manager in 2007. Over the past 10 years, she has held numerous leadership positions across the organization, including Director of Volunteer Management, Vice President of Fund Development, and most recently Vice President of Mission Operations, where she oversees all aspects of volunteer engagement and management, girl program, member services, and member recruitment. Shepp previously held leadership positions with several other non-profit organizations. As a Girl Scout growing up in Seal Beach, Shepp earned the Girl Scout First Class Award (now the Girl Scout Gold Award), the highest award a Girl Scout can earn.
“Building our next generation of female leaders is vitally important. We conducted a national search to identify a collaborative trailblazer supremely suited to lead this extraordinary organization in doing just that,” said Becky Bailey Findley, Board Chair of Girl Scouts of Orange County. “It was Vikki’s breadth of non-profit management expertise, extensive knowledge and passion for Girl Scouts, and proven record of inspiring, motivating and managing a multifaceted youth serving organization that made her the ideal choice to lead Girl Scouts of Orange County into the future.”
Shepp will succeed Nancy Nygren, who retires as CEO of Girl Scouts of Orange County at the end of the year. Nygren has led the organization for more than 12 years, during which time she has dramatically elevated the community’s understanding of Girl Scouts as the world’s best girl leadership experience and provided a generation of girls with one-of-a-kind experiences that will continue to multiply with the recent opening of the Argyros Girl Scout Leadership Center in Newport Beach.
“I have had the privilege and pleasure of working closely with Vikki for 10 years, during which time she has amassed an impressive record of accomplishments across our organization,” said Nancy Nygren, current CEO of Girl Scouts of Orange County. “She is an empowering and passionate leader and visionary who is well poised to continue our momentum in providing girls from every zip code in Orange County with relevant girl-led experiences that prepare them for a lifetime of leadership.”
Shepp holds a Master of Arts in Humanities and Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies from California State University at Dominguez Hills. She is also a Certified Volunteer Administrator and holds a certificate in Executive Non-Profit Leadership (NHSA). Shepp will be based at Girl Scouts of Orange County’s headquarters in Irvine, CA.
About Girl Scouts of Orange County
We are Girl Scouts of Orange County. We are 33,000 strong-- 20,000 girls and 13,000 adults who believe in the power of every G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)™ to change the world. With programs in every zip code in Orange County, Girl Scouts offers every girl opportunities to practice a lifetime of leadership, adventure, and success. To volunteer, reconnect, donate, or join, visit www.GirlScoutsOC.org.
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