LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP RECOGNIZES WOMEN WHO EXHIBIT COURAGE, CONFIDENCE AND CHARACTER IN THEIR CAREERS

For 112 years, Girl Scouts of Connecticut (GSOFCT) has been building girls of courage, confidence and character from all corners of the state. Now, the nonprofit organization has publicly recognized three remarkable women who have deep-rooted connections to GSOFCT and embrace these traits in their respective career tracks at its annual Legacy of Leadership fundraising event held recently at the Park City Music Hall in Bridgeport, Connecticut. This year’s honorees, who were nominated and selected by a committee, specifically exemplify Girl Scout values as leaders in their community and who pave the way for all girls to thrive.

“What better way to spotlight these amazing women in their fields of aviation technology, engineering and finance, who truly represent what Girl Scouts is all about –– leading with compassion and making impactful, positive change in our communities,” said Elicia Pegues Spearman, CEO of Girl Scouts of Connecticut. “We look forward to joining together to pay tribute to all of the women who are inspiring the next generation of female leaders.”

This year’s honorees are:
Wendy Carroll of Fairfield – As senior vice president of product development at Citi Investment Management (Citibank), Carroll has spent most of her career in the investment management industry, with a primary focus on mutual funds and board governance. In fact, she launched Citi’s first non-US Mutual Fund in December ‘23 in which Citi clients in Asia, Latin America and the UAE have already invested over $160 million to date. As a Girl Scout from 2ndto 9th grade, including a trip to Savannah, Georgia, the official birthplace of Girl Scouts USA, Carroll remains an integral part of the organization, serving as a troop leader for 15 years and the Fairfield County Service Unit Manager for the past 5 where she’s grown the group to nearly 1,000 girl members. She is also the primary point person for the Girl Scouts in Government Day program, an annual event in which older Girl Scouts shadow Fairfield town officials and public workers.

Saba Shahid of Simsbury – With over 13 years of experience as a regulatory affairs professional, Shahid is involved in medical device product development, ensuring that products are made per regulations. Shahid’s Girl Scout Gold Award project led to the creation of her first business, Creative Neurology, where she spreads smiles to patients with Parkinson’s Disease through creativity and movement. Her organization’s “Let’s Combat Micrographia” program helps people improve their handwriting in six weeks and has been recognized by the US National Institute of Health as the only organization providing a resource for people living with micrographia. Additionally, she is a children’s book author, focusing on themes of STEM, empowerment and inclusivity, as well as a Private Pilot, working toward her commercial license. A Lifetime Girl Scout, she joined GSOFCT as a Brownie and has risen through the ranks to become the youngest person to serve on the GSOFCT board.
Caroline Unger of Wilton – is senior staff program manager of engineering and operations at LinkedIn where she is responsible for managing employees and software stability and direction for one of the country’s largest social media and professional networking programs. As a working mother, she is continually committed to improving opportunities for this growing population and co-created the first “A Moment for Mom” event to help women have opportunities to network with each other across the Fairfield County region.
The Legacy of Leadership event includes dinner, a silent auction and program. Guests will also have the opportunity to meet local Gold Award Girl Scouts and learn about their community-enhancing projects. Tickets are $75.

All proceeds from the Legacy of Leadership fundraiser go directly toward Girl Scouts of Connecticut’s mission to build girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place.

Through programs from coast to coast, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges — whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends. Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors, and millions of alums, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them