Five Girl Scouts in Troop 2054 are among the 15 from the Rancho Bernardo, Poway and 4S Ranch area to be named Emerging Leaders by Girl Scouts San Diego.
Kendall Crane, Katherine Gavigan, Megan Juza, Emma Litzenberg and Kamila Uzakova have all been a Girl Scout for 13 years, starting in kindergarten.
The area’s other Emerging Leaders will be featured in future issues.
Girl Scouts San Diego selected 53 in 10th through 12th grade for its Emerging Leaders program to help them develop leadership skills as they commit to making a positive impact in the world, according to council officials.
As part of the 2025 program, Girl Scouts built skills in networking, business etiquette, public speaking and personal brand basics through workshops. They also met with female leaders during a mentoring session and were recognized at the council’s Cool Women Celebration on March 14.
Some were selected to introduce the five 2025 Cool Women and speak on stage during the event.
The Cool Women were Julie Dubick, chief of staff and strategic partners adviser at The Conrad Prebys Foundation; Tina M King, president of the San Diego College of Continuing Education; Luisa McCarthy, co-owner of La Vista Memorial Park and Mortuary; Debbie Rider, assistant dean of development and alumni relations at the University of San Diego School of Law; and Nancy Sasaki, president and CEO of the United Way of San Diego County.
“The Cool Women Celebration is a celebration of leadership and community,” said event co-chairs Natasha Bowman and Joyce Gattas. “This event is about inspiring future change-makers and creating a lasting impact in San Diego.
“It’s a moment to honor the trailblazing women among us, while also investing in the future by inspiring young women to lead with purpose and ion,” they said.
• Ambassador Girl Scout Kendall Crane, a Rancho Bernardo resident, is a senior at the Academy of Our Lady of Peace.
“Being named an Emerging Leader for the second year is an incredible honor,” Crane said. “To me, it represents my commitment to making an impact in my community through hard work, leadership and service. This recognition also encourages me to continue empowering others, embrace challenges and lead with confidence and integrity.”
Crane added, “During my first year as an Emerging Leader, I learned the basics of networking, communication and stepping outside my comfort zone. I gained confidence in my leadership abilities and saw firsthand the impact of collaboration and mentorship.
“Being an Emerging Leader has allowed me to learn from many inspiring women and has inspired me to continue growing as a leader,” Crane said.
• Ambassador Girl Scout Katherine Gavigan, a Poway resident, is a senior at Poway High School.
“Being an Emerging Leader means representing all that Girl Scouts stands for,” Gavigan said. “It means being a confident leader determined to make the world a better place.”
This is Gavigan’s third year to be named an Emerging Leader.
“Through this program I was given the opportunity to network with many inspiring women and receive great advice about college and careers,” Gavigan said.
• Ambassador Girl Scout Megan Juza, a Poway resident, is a senior at Poway High School.
“It is an incredible honor to be recognized, especially since this is my last year in Girl Scouts as a senior in high school,” Juza said.
This is Juza’s second year to be named an Emerging Leader. She said the experience has given her confidence while networking with professionals.
• Ambassador Girl Scout Emma Litzenberg, a Rancho Bernardo resident, is a senior at the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts.
“Being an Emerging Leader means that you are a Girl Scout who is dedicated to leading the world into a brighter future,” Litzenberg said. “It means gaining the skills now that you will use later in your chosen career and using those skills to make the world a better place.
“It’s all about becoming someone who has the confidence, ion and drive to create, whether it be art, science or simply relationships,” she said. “Being an Emerging leader means that you represent Girl Scouts and what they can become.”
This is Litzenberg’s first year as an Emerging Leader, an experience she said has taught her a lot.
“As an emcee for the (Cool Women) event, not only did I work on all of the networking skills and leadership lessons that everyone else did, but I also did workshops that helped prepare me to speak in front of hundreds of people,” she said. “Things like using a teleprompter, how to interview people, good networking skills and how to stay in touch.”
She added, “There is so much that being an Emerging Leader gives you, that isn’t available to most girls my age. It was an amazing experience.”
• Ambassador Girl Scout Kamila Uzakova, a 4S Ranch resident, is a senior at Del Norte High School.
“Being named an Emerging Leader has been an incredible opportunity to connect with like-minded girls in my community who aspire to make their mark in the world,” Uzakova said. “To me, being an Emerging Leader means being your best self and seeking to make a positive impact on others, starting small and hopefully helping larger audiences in the future.”
This is her first year as an Emerging Leader.
“After just this year’s Cool Women event, I already feel more ed in my future pursuits,” Uzakova said. “Talking with all of the Cool Women at the event broadened my horizons and gave me an idea of what it is possible to achieve just in this city.”
