Diana Ringquist started her Girl Scout journey in the 1970s as a
Brownie Girl Scout who refused to wear her beanie. Enjoying Girl
Scouting immensely and always the first to try something new, Diana’s
journey as a Girl Member ended in her freshman year of college when
her Council sent her a letter “kicking me out for being too old” but
invited her to become an Adult Girl Scout. Diana, claiming to “bleed
green,” immediately signed up as an Adult Girl Scout and has continued
her journey ever since, earning every adult award with the exception
of the Thanks II Badge, “and a bunch that no longer exist.”
Diana was an active volunteer during college, graduate school, and
during her early career. She stepped into the role of CoLeader in 2006
when her daughter’s troop leaders all moved away within two months.
Happily serving as a CoLeader in Missouri and Kansas, Diana offered to
be a CoLeader when she moved to New York. Diana met with the Service
Unit Manager who handed her a large pile of binders, smiled, and
congratulated a stunned Diana on becoming the new Service Unit
Manager. Never one to shy from a challenge, Diana recruited 17 new
Adult Leaders, CoLed a Troop, held “just about every non-paid
position,” revitalized the Service Unit’s Girl Scouting program, met
or surpassed all military requirements of a private organization,
connected with neighboring Service Units, and dedicated herself to
Girl Scouts by becoming a Life Member. Under the leadership of the
Service Unit Team, the Girl Scouts became the “go-to” volunteer
organization in their community and served as an example for regional
Service Units. At the Council level, Diana was a strong advocate for
her girls, volunteers, Service Unit, military Girl Scouts, and the
Girl Scout movement serving as a Council Trainer, Delegate, Task Force
Leader, and Centennial Celebration CoChair. Diana credits this
experience for preparing her for her next Girl Scout journey
challenge.
Diana continued to advocate for, organize, and lead Girl Scouts
during her time overseas in Nigeria (2012-2014, #BringBackOurGirls),
Senegal (2017-2019), Germany (2019-2021), and Angola (2021-2023). Her
experiences and advocacy allowed her the honor of participating in the
Board Transition Task Group that worked to create the basis for the
current Council of Advisors. Diana served on the Nomination Committee
to stand up the COA and served several terms on the COA’s Council
Development Committee. After serving in seven U.S. locations across
six states, Nigeria, Senegal, Germany, and Angola, Diana claims she
can actually hear others “roll their eyes” when she speaks up for
underserved populations within the Girl Scout family.
While in Germany, Diana was introduced to the Global Facilitators
and was instantly excited to join in order to help volunteers around
the world (or at least in her corner of it) share the Girl Scout
experience with girls around the globe. Through her involvement, Diana
participated as a volunteer for the 2021 and 2022 Volunteer Adult
Learning Conferences. As Global Facilitators was reimagined into our
current Overseas Volunteer Partners, Diana was excited to continue her
service to volunteers and girls in whatever manner may present itself.
Wherever her semi-nomadic life takes her next, Diana is determined to
continue her Girl Scout journey. “Girl Scouting is a profound force in
the lives of girls,” Diana says, “whether providing a sense of
continuity and community to U.S. girls or showing host nation girls
opportunities they could never have imagined, Girl Scouts changes
lives for the better - the lives of our volunteers, the lives of our
girls, the lives of communities - and shapes our global future.”