Girl Scouts of Connecticut is proud to announce the highly-anticipated honorees of the 25th Annual Breakfast Badge Awards, an event that spotlights the contributions of strong, accomplished women in the state. This year’s recipients are talented female executives recognized for “Championing Girl Ambition” as staunch supporters of the Girl Scouts of Connecticut organization. The fundraising event will take place on Thursday, March 3, 2022, 7:30 a.m. at the Hartford Marriott Downtown located at 200 Columbus Boulevard in Hartford, Connecticut.
“These exceptional professionals have not only reached the pinnacle of success in their chosen fields, they have generously given of their time and expertise to inspire girls in their community through our organization,” said Diana Mahoney, Chief Executive Officer of Girl Scouts of Connecticut (GSOFCT) and herself a former director at Eversource Energy and lifelong Girl Scout. “Each of the honorees will receive a custom designed Girl Scout badge that celebrates this year’s theme of Championing Girl Ambition.”
This year’s honorees are:
Elicia Pegues Spearman, a Cheshire resident and Girl Scout of Connecticut alumnae, was appointed to a dual C-Suite role as the first General Counsel & Vice President of Human Resources for Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT. Previously, she was the first person of color hired to the Executive Team at General Dynamics Electric Boat where she served as the Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer. Spearman mentors professionals and students and has dedicated a lifetime of community service to local and national organizations. She has had a distinguished law career where she worked for state, federal and Fortune 500 corporate entities including Aetna, Hubbell, the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights & Opportunities, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations. She was recognized as one of the “2019 Most Influential Women in Corporate America” by Savoy Magazine.
Edna Karanian, a Former Director of Gas Supply at Eversource Energy from Wethersfield, is a highly respected, well-known natural gas industry executive with decades of leadership. She is a previous Girl Scout, past Board Member of Girl Scouts of Connecticut and has served as Chair of the Board Development Committee. She was also Co-Chair of the Breakfast Badge Event in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
Virginia Giuffré, formerly of Westport, was a top leader at Citibank Corporation for over 20 years. She was one of the first women to serve as a Division Executive, managing the worldwide business from sales and marketing to technology to operations. After retiring from Citibank, Giuffre joined Merrill Lynch and formed an advisory business which focused on helping women achieve financial independence. By using wealth planning strategies and disciplined investing through good and volatile markets, she worked with women and their families to take control of their finances, helping countless women through all the phases of life including, divorce, widowhood, job changes and retirement. Virginia is a lifelong member of Girl Scouts of Connecticut, past Board member and a member of the Juliette Gordon Low Society.
“We are thrilled to be able to host this year’s ceremony in person, as it is the silver anniversary of this notable recognition,” said Mahoney. “We encourage everyone to join us in celebration of the incredible achievements of these exceptional role models and to hear their compelling personal stories of success and connection to Girl Scouts of Connecticut.”
For tickets, sponsorship opportunities and event details visit www.gsofct.org.
About Girl Scouts of Connecticut
Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world. 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. To join us, volunteer, reconnect, or donate, visit gsofct.org.
PHOTO: Elicia Pegues Spearman, Edna Karanian and Virginia Giuffré are the three honorees at the prestigious 25th Annual Breakfast Badge Awards hosted by Girls Scouts of Connecticut on March 3, 2022 in Hartford, Connecticut. photo courtesy of GSOFCT