National Delegate
Dr. Deirdre Dixon  believes that leaders can always continue to develop. After over 20 years as an Army officer with combat experience, she applied her knowledge and practical leadership to teaching and designing leadership programs. Dr. Dixon is an Associate Professor of Management and Associate Director of the Center for Leadership at the University of Tampa. Deirdre earned her engineering degree from West Point, her MBA from Duke University, and her management PhD from Case Western Reserve University.  Her area of research interest is in extremis leadership, when the leader’s life is in danger, looking at resilience and military, police, and firefighters. She is a graduate of Leadership Tampa, and she is excited to serve as the President of the Girl Scouts of West Central Florida. Deirdre earned her Gold Award as a Girl Scout, and she has two daughters who were Girl Scouts, one of whom also earned her Gold Award.

Mary Pat King, CAE, was named CEO of Girl Scouts of West Central Florida (GSWCF) in March 2020. GSWCF serves nearly 18,000 members spanning eight counties: Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Polk, Citrus, Sumter and Marion.

Prior to Girl Scouts, Mary Pat spent her career working for national organizations focused on issues most impacting youth, families and schools. She led the conceptual design and launch of numerous National PTA programs including: School of Excellence, STEM + Families, Smart Talk, Connect for Respect, Take Your Family to School Week and Family Reading Experience. For the American Diabetes Association, Mary Pat managed ADA’s youth, family and community outreach programs nationwide, including ADA’s 56 Diabetes Camps, Diabetes Expo, Live Empowered, Family Link and Port tu Familia. She also ran two fundraising events nationwide: Father of the Year Awards Galas and School Walk for Diabetes. At Safe Kids Worldwide, Mary Pat managed the first few years of the Safe Kids Walk This Way program, partnering with FedEx to scale up a three-school pilot of International Walk to School Day in 2001 to 300+ participating schools worldwide by 2004. Mary Pat also worked at two Washington, DC-based public relations firms, where she managed client portfolios focused on mental health and education issues. She began her career as a news clerk and intern features writer for The Watertown (NY) Daily Times.

During the past 20+ years, Mary Pat has helped to raise more than $10 million in corporate and foundation grants; trained hundreds of staff and volunteers worldwide; and volunteered as an expert advisor to numerous nonprofits and federal agencies in the design of community engagement initiatives including: Action for Healthy Kids’ Every Kid Healthy Campaign, Safe Routes to School National Partnership, SAMHSA’s Talk. They Hear You. Campaign, SAMHSA’s National Wellness Week, Ad Council's StopBullying.Gov campaign, WETA’s (PBS) Well Beings initiative, the White House Convening on Marketing to Youth and the Jed Foundation’s Set to Go Program.

Mary Pat serves on the Hillsborough Commission on the Status of Women, is a Certified Association Executive (CAE), and is a John Maxwell Certified Leadership Trainer. She is a frequent leadership speaker to community groups, and she is a member of the Florida Society of Association Executives and Girl Scout Staff Association. She has a Master of Science degree in public relations from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse (NY) University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Le Moyne College, Syracuse, NY. Mary Pat and her husband, Eric, live in Palm Harbor, FL with their two children, Mason and Jenna Bea. She is a parent volunteer for her daughter’s Girl Scout Troop.

Kelly Sobtzak is a Lifetime Member and 15-year volunteer. She has held many positions over the years, having started as a Cookie Mom for her oldest daughter's Daisy troop. Since then, she has served as the Service Unit Product Manager, a Troop Leader, a Council Facilitator, the Area Chair for Area I, and a Gold Award Advisor on the Council High Awards Committee.  She is currently preparing to be Service Unit Manager for Spring Mermaids. 

Why Girl Scouts? Kelly loves watching girls grow through the program. Serving on the high awards committee has become one of her favorite things as a volunteer as she gets to witness first-hand as girls stretch beyond their comfort zones to do more than they thought they could. She also values the strong community of women she has found in Girl Scouts, which has helped her grow personally. She never would have raised her hand for something like this when she first got started.

Most importantly, Kelly believes our girls have a voice that deserves to be heard.  If chosen as a national delegate, she wants to make sure that she represent our girls and their unique perspectives, at both the Council and National levels.

Marcia Greensfelder was born in 1956 in Garfield Heights, Ohio. She was active in church and Girl Scouts, continuing through Seniors and earning First Class (the equivalent of the Gold Award). Marcia loved resident camp and became a Counselors’ Apprentice (like our CIT program) and then worked as a counselor for several summers. She attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where she joined Campus Gold (a GS organization), met her husband and graduated with a degree in education, with a minor in special needs.  

Her husband joined the Marine Corps; they traveled and had GS troops in both North Carolina and Okinawa. They had a son and a daughter; both were in Girl Scouts and earned the highest awards. (She was active in her daughter’s troops, either as an assistant or as the leader).

Marcia retired during COVID after teaching for thirty years. Currently she is a Music Director at her church, works part time as a caregiver for a man with dementia, serves Girl Scouts as the Gold Award committee chair, plans encampments for Toppercrest Service Unit, facilitates adult trainings, teaches girls water sports, and facilitates the Homestead program at Camp Wildwood.

In answer to the question “Why Girl Scouts?” Marcia's answer is, it’s fun! It’s important for girls to have a safe space where they can develop their own voices and grow to be independent. They learn leadership skills, learn to survive outdoors, learn to work together with others, and learn how to set goals (and how to handle it when you do NOT make your goals). Friendship, fun, courage, confidence, character, camaraderie, traditions, making the world a better place, she knows how important Girl Scouting was (and continues to be) for this previously shy, introverted girl; what it did for her own daughter (helped her to find her career path through her Gold Award), and how much her granddaughters are benefiting from the program.  

Amber Van Denzen Suarez is a dedicated Girl Scout and passionate animal care professional with a career path that beautifully intertwines her love for animals and commitment to youth development. Having been a Girl Scout since 5th grade, Amber’s journey is marked by earning her Silver and Gold Awards and holding various leadership roles, including Camp Counselor (Camp Name: Breeze) Encampment Director and Events Coordinator, and paid staff positions for high award programs. Currently, she serves as a Troop Leader, Area J Chair Delegate, and on the High Awards Council, guiding young Girl Scouts toward their full potential.

When not Girl Scouting, she is the founder of Atta Boy! Animal Care, with over 18 years of experience in the animal care industry.  She holds a Bachelor's degree in Animal Science from the University of Florida, specializing in Small Animal and Equine Management. 

Why Girl Scouts? "The work of today is the history of tomorrow, and we are its makers." Juliette Gordon Low’s words have always resonated with Amber, as Girl Scouts helped shape the history of her own journey. From her early years as a Scout to earning my Gold Award, she learned the importance of leadership, perseverance, and  service. Those values have guided Amber every step of the way, whether she was leading her Troop, advocating for a community issue or when she started her own businesses and 501c3 non profit. Girl Scouts gave her the confidence to face challenges head-on and create a future she is proud of today, the same she hopes for every girl and future women.

Manar Sarsour is an Arab-American Muslim that was born and raised in the United States. As a child of 1st generation immigrants from Palestine, her parents taught her to work hard for what she values, learn and try to understand the world around us, and speak up when she sees or feels something is not right and to advocate for those that cannot. She has 3 daughters in Girl Scouts (one graduated last year with her Gold) and 3 sons in Scouting America. Manar is in her 17th year working with a Telecommunications company as an Instructional Designer and Curriculum Developer. One of her biggest initiatives is to understand our stakeholders and our customers to be able to develop and deliver the best content in an engaging and interactive way. Manar can take a very complex issue or process and simplify it in a way that is easy to comprehend. Sometimes she has to ask difficult questions to dig deep into the process and uncover different solutions, then engage with the stakeholders to discuss the best possible outcomes.

Why Girl Scouts? Manar feels very strongly about supporting an organization that supports girls to become the future leaders of our community. There is no other organization that has an initiative to help build girls' courage and confidence, provides them with a "curriculum" of skills by earning badges, allows them to "design" plans and organize meetings/events, and encourages the girls to become leaders. She sees it all the time, whether in the workplace or with other girls in the community, that many girls/young women shy away from speaking their minds and wait until someone else takes the lead. Manar is a lifetime member and volunteer for 14 years and has led girls since Daisies via the Girl Scout Program through their High School Graduation, earning Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards, and is confident that these girls will be very successful in their future endeavors because of all the skills and opportunities they received from the Girl Scout Program. For her, personally, it has helped her grow and pushed her out of her comfort zone when it comes to public speaking and outdoor adventures. It was difficult for her, at first,  to "let go of the reins", but when she listens to the girls (our "stakeholders and customers") and gives them choices and options, it's amazing what they can come up with. As a NCS Delegate, Manar promises to continue to do just that, to listen to what our Girl Scout Community wants, to simplify any clauses or terms that are proposed, and to share it with both the GS community and my fellow team of NCS Delegates.

Chloe W. has been a Girl Scout for 11 years. As a Girl Scout for this long, she has had the opportunity to serve in multiple leadership positions, such as being CIT at camp Wai Lani and an Area E Delegate. Chloe is currently a junior at Plant High School in Tampa, Florida. She enjoys learning languages, she has studied French and ASL, and is currently in Spanish and Latin. She also enjoy reading and acting. 

The only thing that comes to mind when Chloe think about the question “Why Girl Scouts” is that there’s no other way for her to be. Who she is, what she has accomplished, and all of the amazing opportunities she have been afforded have been because of Girl Scouts. Chloe has been able to see how the world has changed in the smallest and biggest of ways, whether it be from a speaker in the government or outreached hand on the playground. She has been able to fly through the air at challenge course and see a shark swimming silently underneath me at waterfront, and she has been able to form genuine connections with the people she knows will be the leaders of tomorrow. Chloe has been able to witness the way the world truly is and the way it can be, all because of Girl Scouts.

Hope B. has been a Girl Scout for a decade, and she has benefited from the many programs that GSWCF provides. She had her first camping experience with her troop at Dorothy Thomas, and her first overnight summer camp was at Camp Wai Lani. Hope has earned her Bronze and Silver Awards, and will be finishing her Gold Award this year. Girl Scouts has allowed her to pursue her passions and given her an outlet to express her gratitude for the Tampa Bay community. All this said, she want to give back to GSWCF. Her years of experience in Girl Scouts and her knowledge of the organization have prepared her to be a National Delegate, and she knows that her appreciation for the organization will allow her to be an effective communicator. If chosen, Hope will be attending the 2026 gathering directly after her senior year, and she believes that this will be a fitting culmination of 11 wonderful years in Girl Scouts.
Olivia B.  Girl Scouts is where Olivia finds her safety, her confidence, and her voice. Girl Scouts has given her so many new opportunities, with volunteering and making new friends, and learning so many new things in her time as a Girl Scout. Olivia's hope and goal is to share the opportunities and experiences that she has been able to enjoy with many other girls that are younger and just starting out in their Girl Scout journey. 

Shea P. has been a Girl Scout for 11 years—and counting! She is a third-generation Girl Scout, following in the footsteps of her mom and grandmother. Girl Scouts has always been a big part of Shea's family’s story. Her grandmother was in the flag ceremony for the opening of Juliette Gordon Low’s Birthplace as a Brownie, and her mom was a delegate for the 75th anniversary in Washington, D.C., representing her council and she would like to be a delegate for Girl Scouts of West Central Florida too. Her mom also earned her Gold Award, and she is working to earn hers as well. Shea will be the first in her family to earn the Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards, since the Bronze Award didn’t exist when her mom was a Girl Scout.

Throughout Shea's Girl Scout journey, she has loved earning badges, learning new skills, and challenging herself to take on leadership roles. She is a Girl Scouts of West Central Florida Media Girl and Press Pass member, representing Girl Scouts in interviews and public events. Shea earned her Bronze and Silver Awards—projects that allowed her to support her community in meaningful ways—and now, she is working on her Gold Award with the Florida Aquarium, focusing on sea turtle conservation and supporting children facing serious illnesses. Beyond Girl Scouts, Shea is a sophomore at Bloomingdale High School, where she is on the swim and lacrosse teams. She also loves advocating for marine conservation, serving as a Page and Messenger in the Florida House of Representatives, and, of course, selling cookies—her goal is to sell 10,000 boxes before she graduates, and she only has 1,335 boxes to go!

Why Girl Scouts? Girl Scouts is more than just an organization—it’s a sisterhood, a leadership experience, and a way to create lasting change. Shea has grown up in Girl Scouts, and it has shaped who she is today. From earning badges to tackling big projects for her community, she learned the value of perseverance, teamwork, and making a difference. One of Shea's favorite parts of Girl Scouts is the cookie program—she loves learning new business skills every year, trying new sales strategies, and challenging herself to improve. Selling cookies has taught her how to set goals, market a product, and connect with customers, all while working toward her lifetime goal of selling 10,000 boxes. Girl Scouts has also connected her to an incredible network of inspiring women, from her family’s legacy to the girls she works alongside today. Whether Shea is camping under the stars, leading a project, or advocating for causes she believes in, Girl Scouts has given her the confidence and skills to take on anything.

Shannon Boyer  is a Florida native who joined Girl Scouts as a Daisy in 1996 and has been a member for a total of 21 years. She is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Business Administration with a specialization in Non-Profit Management.  In 2018, she graduated from Saint Leo University with her MBA and she is also an alumni of the University of Central Florida (she obtained a BA in Hospitality/Event Management). She now works for UFHealth Shands as a Business Operations Manager for the Cardiopulmonary Department. Shannon is currently the Service Unit Manager for Joining Rivers and assists with the planning of events for Marion County. She is passionate about creating ways to engage the older level of Girl Scouts and helping shape the future of the Girl Scout Mission. She is a member of the Juliette Gordon Low Society and a Lifetime Member of Girl Scouts. 

Laura Sokalski has lived in many parts of Tampa Bay and now resides in Eastern Hillsborough County. She graduated from The University of Tampa’s John H. Sykes College of Business with a degree in Marketing and a passion for women’s leadership development. While a student at UT, Laura was a leader in multiple student organizations including Alpha Gamma Delta, serving as President, Vice President Finance, and Vice President Campus Relations, and Scouting’s National Service Fraternity Alpha Phi Omega.

Laura began a management career at GEICO but pivoted when it was clear that she would become a full-time advocate for her special needs daughter. She pursued many opportunities to provide first-hand examples to decision makers in many arenas, and even co-presented at the Family Café (one of the largest disability advocacy conferences in the country). Eventually, the Commissioner of Education appointed her to the State Advisory Committee for the Education of Exceptional Students. As a member of the committee, Laura represented Hillsborough County in protecting the rights of students with IEPs and Accommodations. Recently, she partnered with local voters and legislators to support and pass a bill to update Florida’s NICA law for birth-related brain injured infants. She considers this one of her greatest achievements.

Laura presently serves as the International Chair for the Member Retention Committee of Alpha Gamma Delta. As an alumna member of her women’s fraternity, she continues to promote the vision of “Inspire the Woman, Impact the World”. She volunteers locally as Vice President of the Tampa Bay Alumnae Chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta. Serving both locally and internationally, is something she is honored to do. She credits the Girl Scouts with instilling the values of volunteerism from the time she was a Brownie. She humbly serves as a Troop Leader for her daughter’s Daisy troop. The loves of her life are her husband Matt, daughters Sabrina and Olivia, and Golden doodle, Coco. Girl Scouts was the first organization that allowed her to find her voice to lead. 

Laura's time as a Girl Scout taught her the value of friendships, the meaningfulness of support, and the importance of empathy. As a Girl Scout leader, she is able to facilitate the same discoveries for the young women of tomorrow.

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