Event Information
General Event Info
This year’s inaugural We Believe in Girls! Summit will be broken up into two parts: Navigating New Journeys for Girls, a training session for 800+ adult Girl Scout volunteers to be introduced to new National roll-out materials with presentations by national (GSUSA) and local (GSSGC) Council leaders and Speaking Up! Bold Voices for Girls, an afternoon of keynote speakers open to 200+ additional adults from local communities.  The conference is being hosted at the Ontario Convention Center and is already creating great buzz throughout Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

We Believe in Girls! Summit 2008
August 16, 2008
9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. for Girl Scout Volunteers
2-5:30 p.m. for General Public
Ontario Convention Center

Registration Forms
For Girl Scouts (Click here for Girl Scout Volunteers only)
For the Public (click here)

Venue Information
Ontario Convention Center (http://www.ontariocc.com/)
2000 E. Convention Center Way
Ontario, CA 91764

Attending an event at the Ontario Convention Center is easy!

From Los Angeles:

Go East on Route 10
Exit Vineyard Avenue, turn right
Go to third light - Holt Blvd., turn left
Go to first light - Convention Center Parking
Follow appropriate signs

From Palm Springs:

Go West on Route 10
Exit Holt Blvd. to Convention Center on right hand side
Corner of Convention Center Way and Holt Blvd.
Follow appropriate signs

From San Diego:

Go North on Route 15
Go West on Route 10
Exit Holt Blvd. to Convention Center on right hand side
Corner of Convention Center Way and Holt Blvd.
Follow appropriate signs

From Las Vegas:

Go South on Route 15
Go West on Route 10
Exit Holt Blvd. to Convention Center on right hand side
Corner of Convention Center Way and Holt Blvd.
Follow appropriate signs

From Orange County:

Go North on Route 57
Go East on Route 10
Exit Vineyard Avenue, turn right
Go to third light - Holt Blvd., turn left
Go to first light - Convention Center Parking
Follow appropriate signs

Hotel Information
The Ontario Marriot is located just across the street from the Ontario Convention Center.

Ontario Marriott
(http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/ontca-ontario-airport-marriott/)
2200 E. Holt Blvd
Ontario, CA 91761
Phone: (909) 975-5000

Keynote Speakers
Morning Session
Morning Session – Navigating the New Journey for Girls
Opening Keynote Presentations on the New Girl Scout Leadership Development Experience by:

Susan Swanson
Susan Swanson is the Vice President of Membership and Volunteerism for GSUSA. She joined the national organization in 2007 and prior to that she was the Assistant Executive Director of Membership Services for Girls Scouts of Freedom Valley in Eastern Pennsylvania for 11 years. As AED of Membership Services, Susan oversaw Membership, Program, Training, Summer Camp and Product Sales Departments.  Prior to joining Girl Scouts, Susan was Vice President of Junior Achievement of Boston, responsible for school and corporate partnerships throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Her professional career began in the corporate sector as District Sales Manager for BF Goodrich in Ohio,
Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. Susan graduated from the University of the South in Sewanee, TN with a B.A. in Political Science and completed the Case Western Non Profit Executive Leadership Certificate Program. Susan has been active in her community as Board Member of Big Brothers Big Sister of Montgomery County, PA, including serving as President of the organization.

Samara Kaufman
Samara Kaufman is a Consultant in the Membership and Volunteerism department at GSUSA where she is responsible for the project management and development of Girl Scout Pathways, providing consulting and training to Girl Scout councils and most recently, collaborating in the planning and facilitation of the Spring Learning Conferences.  She joined the national organization in 2006, and prior to that she was the Director of Community Partnerships and Foundation Executive Director for a large school district in Austin, TX.  She has also worked for youth development focused organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters and Jumpstart for Young Children.  Samara graduated from California State University, Chico with a dual B.A. in Social Science and Secondary Education. Samara lives in New York City.

Jessica Lawrence
Jessica Lawrence, CFRE is the Chief Executive Officer for Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council whose mission is to build girls of courage confidence and character who make the world a better place.  While serving as CEO, Jessica has successfully refocused the strategic vision of the council providing a quality volunteer experience and increasing membership retention. Jessica received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Maryland, graduating Cum Laude, and earned her Certificate of Non-Profit Management from Duke University. She is also a certified fundraising professional (CFRE). Jessica has received numerous personal and professional awards including the Girl Scouts of the USA Frances Hesselbein Award for Excellence in Management in 2007. She is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Association of Girl Scout Executive Staff and the National Association of Female Executives.  In addition, Jessica serves on the board of directors for the Riverside Area Rape Crisis Center.

Afternoon Session
Afternoon Session – Speaking Up: A Bold Voice for Girls
With topics ranging from environmental education programming to the sexualization of young women in media, our Speaking Up! speakers are sure to challenge, enlighten and embolden all of the summit attendees. Confirmed keynote speakers include (but not limited to):

Cheryl Charles
Cheryl Charles is President and co-founder, with Richard Louv and others, of the Children & Nature Network (www.cnaturenet.org), a non-profit organization dedicated to building a movement to re-connect children and nature. Cheryl speaks about the growing disconnect between children and nature, the indicators of what Richard Louv calls “nature deficit disorder,” and the scientific as well as common-sense evidence of the benefits to children from direct experience with nature on a daily basis in their lives. Cheryl served for close to 20 years as founding National Director of what remain the two most widely used environment education programs
in North America for K-12 educators, Project Learning Tree and Project WILD, receiving numerous awards for her leadership.

Grounded in research as well as experience, Cheryl offers practical suggestions for action by parents, grandparents, physicians, urban planners, architects, designers, business leaders, public officials, academics, educators and others concerned about the nature of childhood, the health of communities and the future of the Earth.  Cheryl has a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Washington, with a specialty in factors affecting the achievement of minority youth.

Parry Aftab
Parry Aftab is commonly identified as “the leading expert in cybercrime in the United States,” and was one of the first lawyers to practice Internet law. After being confronted with evidence of child sexual exploitation online, she now devotes her time to issues and technologies impacting children and families online. She founded and continues to run the world’s largest cybersafety and help group, now known as WiredSafety.org. Parry has received numerous awards for her work including the Child Abuse Prevention Services Leadership Award and the 1998 President’s Service Award from the Whitehouse.

Carol Platt Liebau
Carol Platt Liebau is an attorney, political analyst and commentator based near Los Angeles, California. She is a 1989 graduate of Princeton University, where she served as editorial chairman of The Daily Princetonian, and Harvard Law School, where she graduated in 1992 as the first female managing editor of The Harvard Law Review.  Carol has also contributed to the editorial pages of The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Times, The Orange County Register, The Sacramento Bee and The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Her work has appeared online in National Review, The American Spectator, Human Events and FrontPage Magazine, as well.

Carol will be discussing her most recent book entitled Prude: How the Sex Obsessed Culture Damages Girls (and America Too!) In her own words, “Prude is an in-depth look at the forces telling young women that being sexy trumps intelligence and character every time. For those who aren't aware of just how sexualized teen-oriented fashion, reading, movies, television and music have become and why, it's a wake-up call. For parents who want their daughters to understand the physical, emotional and psychological dangers of giving too much, too soon, it puts all the facts at their fingertips. And for anyone who cares about the impact that teen sexuality has on America's economic and social life -- and believes it's time for a more wholesome teen culture -- it's a call to arms.”

Patricia Diaz Dennis
Patricia Diaz Dennis serves as Girl Scouts of the USA's Chair of the National Board of Directors. As the highest ranking volunteer within Girl Scouting, Diaz Dennis leads the Board in guiding and overseeing the world's preeminent organization for girls' leadership development. She is dedicated to diversity and inclusion in Girl Scouting and believes strongly in helping girls become self-confident leaders of their lives. She is helping lead the organizational transformation and revitalization of the Girl Scout Movement through its Core Business Strategy.

She is Senior Vice President and Assistant General Counsel for AT&T in San Antonio, Texas. A three-time presidential appointee, Diaz Dennis worked in the U.S. State Department, on the Federal Communications Commission, and on the National Labor Relations Board. Diaz Dennis is licensed in California, Texas and the District of Columbia, and admitted to
practice law before the U.S. Supreme Court. Patricia Diaz Dennis will do a presentation on pop star Pink’s “Stupid Girls” video and the sexualized portrayal of girls in the media and culture.

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