Anna Maria Chavez
Chief Strategy Officer, National Council on Aging, and Former CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA
Anna Maria Chávez is Chief Strategy Officer and Senior Vice President of External Affairs for the National Council on Aging, whose mission is to improve the lives of millions of older adults, especially those who are struggling.
Chávez developed the leadership skills growing up in Eloy, Arizona, that would propel her into a career of public service. Her desire to transform the world through servant leadership led her to Yale University, before pursuing a juris doctorate at the University of Arizona. She held numerous posts in President Bill Clinton’s administration and later returned to Arizona to serve then-governor Janet Napolitano.
Her success led to her appointment as CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA, where she served from 2011-2016 as the first woman of color to lead the 104-year group with 2.7 million members in over 90 countries and 59 million alumnae in America. In 2016, Anna was named as one of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders by Fortune magazine, cited for her vision and creativity in working to revitalize the Girl Scout brand for a new century.
Chávez has been named one of FORTUNE’s World’s Greatest Leaders of 2016 and was named number 22 by Fast Company in its annual list of the most creative people in business. She brings a wealth of experience from previous legal, public policy, nonprofit management, and brand management positions in Arizona, Texas, Washington, DC, and New York City.
Anna is one of the world’s top experts on women’s leadership and youth development and draws from her 25 years of public service and nonprofit leadership to teach teamwork, inclusion and diversity, resiliency, leadership, and self-motivation. Her keen insights and dynamic presentations have inspired thousands of individuals around the globe to lead authentically and has helped organizations work together more collaboratively and create dynamic impact. Anna has appeared on CBS News, NBC’s The Today Show, FOX News Channel, CNBC’s Squawk Box, CNN, Bloomberg Radio, NPR, and she’s a contributing writer on Huffington Post.
