IRVINE, CA (September 18, 2026) — Girl Scouts of Orange County hosted Voice for Girls, the nonprofit organization’s signature advocacy event, on Friday, September 18 at the Newport Beach Country Club.
“Care as a Catalyst for Change” was the theme of the sold-out annual advocacy event, featuring a keynote address from Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks, CEO of ECOS and an influential voice in effective leadership, safer chemistry, regenerative manufacturing, and corporate social responsibility. Vlahakis-Hanks, a Girl Scout alumna and longtime supporter and mentor for Girl Scouts of Orange County, used the framework of the Girl Scout Promise to show how care in business leadership results in real-world positive impacts for employees, customers, and the planet.
Voice for Girls also featured a panel of teenage Girl Scouts discussing how they turned something they care deeply into a “Take Action” project to serve their communities, and the lessons they learned along the way about leadership and character.
Ella W.’s Gold Award Take Action project was inspired by her experience volunteering at her local Girl Scout day camp. She is creating a training program to prepare day camp volunteers to support neurodiverse campers.
Brielle T. earned the Gold Award with Project Renew, a workshop series designed to provide trusted, culturally relevant physical and mental health education within the Black community.
Reagan H. earned the Gold Award by creating comfort kits for children in medical treatment and for their families, delivering them through a partnership with City of Hope.
Maddie J. chose her Silver Award project based on her experience making the transition from elementary school to middle school. She is earning her award by sharing resources to help students and their families feel prepared for the move to middle school.
Girl Scouts of Orange County CEO Vikki Shepp, Ed.D. said, “We chose the theme of Care as a Catalyst for Change very intentionally, because when we care deeply enough to act, we can change a moment, create an opportunity, and often change the trajectory of a life. That’s especially important when we’re talking about today’s girls.”
Voice for Girls 2026 was made possible by Presenting Sponsor U.S. Bank, Underwriting Sponsor ECOS, Breakfast Sponsors Jeff and Caron Winston, and a committed group of Community and Advocate-Level Sponsors. Event Co-Chairs Kelly Given, Dr. Darla Holland, Karen Caplan, and Laura Watkins Utterback joined GSOC staff to plan and execute the event, which drew more than 230 attendees.
Proceeds from Voice for Girls benefit Girl Scouts of Orange County, a nonprofit serving the community since 1968. Serving more than 13,000 girls and 10,000 adults each year, Girl Scouts of Orange County’s mission is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.
Event Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/gsoc/albums/72177720335657304/
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About Girl Scouts of Orange County (GSOC)
Girl Scouts began over 100 years ago with one woman, Juliette Gordon “Daisy” Low, who believed in the power of every girl. Today, we continue her vision of building girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place, by helping them discover their inner strength, passions, and talents. With Girl Scouts representing every zip code in Orange County, there are opportunities for every girl to do something amazing. We are Girl Scouts. To volunteer, reconnect, donate, or join, visit www.girlscoutsoc.org.
