Our Leadership

When Juliette Gordon Low founded Girl Scouts in 1912, she understood that dedicated and dynamic leaders were vital to helping girls develop their full potential. With the support, vision, and commitment of these role models, girls have the opportunity to find—and become—leaders in their communities and the world.

Ann W. Nelson

Chief Executive Officer

Meet the CEO

Ann W. Nelson joined Girl Scouts of the Sierra Nevada (GSSN) as CEO in 2020. She provides executive leadership and strategic direction on council initiatives that focus on enriching the lives of the 4,000 girl and adult members across an expansive 96,000 square mile region in northern Nevada and northeastern California. That’s Alturas to Tahoe to Bishop, Ely to Elko, and everywhere in between.

Under Ann’s leadership, GSSN has recovered membership to pre-pandemic numbers, increased community involvement, and reorganized the organizational structure of the nonprofit.

Ann is a lifetime member of Girl Scouts and is an avid outdoors enthusiast. Ann was a part of the Girl Scouts of the Sierra Nevada council as a child and fondly remembers backpacking, camping and hourseback riding.

Prior to her role as CEO of GSSN, Ann served the community as an attorney for 30 years. Her roles included Legal Council for the Govonor of Nevada, Attorney for a public traded insurance company, and was a professional staff member of the YMCA of the Sierras.

Throughout her career, Ann put her passions into work by establishing benefits for domestic partnerships and mentoring women and girls. Ann retired in 2018 and felt a higher calling to volunteer and serve her community. She was recruited to be the CEO of GSSN in 2020 and has spent the last 3 years guidng GSSN into longterm success.

Our Board of Directors

Meet the Board Chair

Melissa Munro is a lifelong Girl Scout and Gold Award recipient with more than 40 years of membership, including 15 years as a program volunteer, and she now serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for Girl Scouts of the Sierra Nevada after previously serving as Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee. After a recent move to Humboldt County, she understands the challenges faced by members who live far from the Council’s central governance and is committed to bringing attention to their needs. In her role, she oversees Council and Board meetings, ensures that member direction is carried out, and serves as an ex-officio member of all Board-established committees. She brings experience, dedication, and a strong commitment to equitable support across the Council’s wide geography.

Melissa Munro

Board Chair President

Meet the Immediate Past Chair

Ms. Beggs is the primary attorney at the Law Offices of Lyn E. Beggs, PLLC. Ms. Beggs focuses her practice primarily on administrative law/professional licensing matters and has assisted individuals with matters before a variety of state and federal agencies including the Nevada Boards of Medicine, Nursing, Professional Engineers, Pharmacy, Massage Therapy, Long Term Care Administrators, Social Workers, Chiropractic Physicians, Psychology as well as many others including the Ethics Commission and Nevada Commission for Judicial Discipline. In addition to her administrative practice, Ms. Beggs represents many licensed healthcare professionals in the state of Nevada maintain compliance with state and federal laws in their professional practices.

Ms. Beggs began her career as a law clerk with the Federal District Court, District of Nevada after which she joined the Washoe County Public Defender’s Office as a Deputy Public Defender. Subsequently, Ms. Beggs acted as General Counsel for the Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners. In 2012 Ms. Beggs left the public sector for private practice to assist licensed professionals in administrative actions and established her own firm in 2014.

Ms. Beggs is a Nevada native who received her Juris Doctorate from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon in 1997 after receiving her B.A. in International Affairs at the University of Nevada, Reno in 1994. Ms. Beggs is a member of the American Health Lawyers Association. Ms. Beggs serves as a board member with Kids First Family Services. Ms. Beggs also serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors for Girl Scouts of the Sierra Nevada. Ms. Beggs has been serving on the board as a member since 2017 and has also served on the Executive and Strategic Planning Committees.

Lyn Beggs

Immediate Past Chair

Meet our Officers

Vice Chair

TBD

Amber Joiner

Secretary

Shari Bainter

Treasurer & Chair of Finance Committee

About Shari toggle arrow

Shari Bainter became involved with the Girl Scouts of the Sierra Nevada (GSSN) in the fall 2021 consulting as the CFO for one year. One year after her consulting ended in 2023, Shari volunteered for the Board of Directors, becoming the Audit Committee Chair and serving on the Finance Committee. In the fall of 2025, Shari accepted the role of Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair.

Shari began her career at Deloitte gaining her CPA, and later other credentials including CVA and CGMA. She joined International Game Technology and enjoyed a long 25-year career moving upwards within the company. Her last position before retiring was Controller of North America. After retiring, Shari did consulting and found GSSN. She is mostly retired now and enjoys helping others and doing art.

Shari has a long history of involvement in the community with serving on the American Heart Association Heart Walk Committee and the Board of Directors for several years, and now her involvement with GSSN. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Blue Goose Gallery of Artists, a quaint art gallery in Lake Almanor, California.

Board Members at Large

Meredith Williams

About Meredith Williams toggle arrow

Nevada Regional Vice President for United Federal Credit Union, responsible for growing the Nevada Market through engaging and developing our employees and the community. Meredith has 28 years’ experience in the financial service industry serving the Northern NV area.

At United, Meredith’s passion is to serve her team and support our local community. Meredith has been a mentor and Big Sister with BBBSNN for over 4 years, serves on the board for the Girl Scouts of the Sierra NV, Reno/Sparks Chamber of Commerce, and is board chair for the Justin Hope Foundation.

Meredith has lived in the Northern NV area for 40 years and is happily married to Craig Williams with 2 children, Marissa and Jared. On her days off, she enjoys spending time with her family, at the gym and has a passion for baking.