Five additional Girl Scouts from Rancho Bernardo, 4S Ranch and Sabre Springs were named Emerging Leaders by Girl Scouts San Diego.
Five of Troop 2054 were featured in the March 27 issue and five more who attend Del Norte High School were featured in the April 3 issue.
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; Dr. 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 s Aguilar, a 4S Ranch resident, has been in the organization since kindergarten and is a junior at the Academy of Our Lady of Peace. She is in Troop 2301.
“Being an Emerging Leader Girl Scout is an honor,” Aguilar said. “To me, it means that I have the capabilities to make change in my community. Through the opportunities of this program, we can emerge as leaders by learning from the changemakers (of) today so that we can be the leaders of a better tomorrow.”
This is Aguilar’s second time to be chosen.
“As an Emerging Leader, I gained essential networking skills to build upon my leadership experiences that I can use in future careers,” Aguilar said. “This was also a very inspiring experience because we had the opportunity to converse with influential women in the community where I learned essential lessons from their journeys and challenges which I can apply to my life.”
• Senior Girl Scout Anika Bose, a Sabre Springs resident, has been in the organization since third grade and is a sophomore at Westview High School. She is in Troop 2927.
“Being named a 2025 Emerging Leader provided me with the honor of meeting incredible women in our community,” Bose said. “I was truly inspired by their journeys and appreciated the opportunity to network with my fellow Girl Scouts and the Cool Women.
“I gained invaluable insights from the Cool Women, who shared their stories and the paths that led them to success, insights that I will apply in my future,” she added.
This is her first time as an Emerging Leader.
• Senior Girl Scout Annika Mara, a 4S Ranch resident, has been in the organization since kindergarten and is a sophomore at Cathedral Catholic High School. She is in Troop 2364.
“Being named an Emerging Leader is a blessing and wonderful opportunity to meet fellow Girl Scouts,” Mara said. “In addition, it teaches how to interact with adults who inspire me.”
This is her first time as an Emerging Leader.
• Senior Girl Scout Klara Salazar, a Rancho Bernardo resident, has been in the organization since second grade and is a sophomore at Rancho Bernardo High School. She is in Troop 2948.
“I am honored to be named an Emerging Leader, as it has given me the opportunity to connect with so many influential women in San Diego,” Salazar said. “The Emerging Leader community is an incredible group filled with kind Girl Scouts. Being part of this experience is very rewarding, and I am proud to be involved.”
This is her first time as an Emerging Leader.
“I know I would have missed out on an incredible opportunity if I had ed it up … (because) I learned so much from both the inspiring women I met and the amazing girls around me,” Salazar said. “I developed public speaking and valuable networking skills. The influential women I connected with shared their stories and their journeys that led them to become the role models they are today.”
• Ambassador Girl Scout Elle Siemens, a Rancho Bernardo resident, has been in the organization since kindergarten and is a junior at Rancho Bernardo High School. She is in Troop 2009.
“To me, being named a Girl Scout Emerging Leader is an incredible honor,” Siemens said. “(It) is not just a title, it’s a responsibility. Emerging Leader Girl Scouts are girls who embody a promise and mission to make the world a better place and strive to be leaders of courage, confidence and character.
“Together as Emerging Leaders, we are connected with each other as female role models, uniting to inspire and influence others, fostering growth and collaboration,” Siemens said.
This is her first time as an Emerging Leader.
