Two Uniondale residents elected to Girl Scouts of Nassau County Board of Directors

A pair of Uniondale residents — Leah Watson and Adrian Goodwin — have been re-elected and elected, respectively to the Girl Scouts of Nassau County Board of Directors through 2025. Watson was also elected as treasurer.

Goodwin and Watson were two of 17 board members who were sworn in during the organization's 58th annual meeting on May 17, which was held at the Ruth S. Harley University Center on the Adelphi University campus.

The county’s Girl Scouts’ Board of Directors comprises lifelong Girl Scouts, community leaders, and nonprofit and corporate executives who provide leadership, innovation and constant support to the Girl Scouts of Nassau County council.

"Girl Scouts of Nassau County is proud to have such prestigious and accomplished members on its Board of Directors to inspire and empower our Girl Scouts," Randell Bynum, CEO of Girl Scouts of Nassau County said in a news release. "I am confident that this group of leaders will help cultivate the Girl Scout experience and help fulfill our mission to build girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place."

The Board of Directors provides strategic leadership and works collaboratively to build courage, confidence and character in Girl Scouts. They will also help raise vital funds to expand access to scouting experiences that socially, academically and emotionally empower girls throughout the community.

Watson has served on the Girl Scouts of Nassau County Board of Directors since 2020. She received her Girl Scouts lifetime membership status a year later. Watson is a founder and co-president of A Better You Consulting Services LLC, which specializes in executive and emerging leadership development, project management and conference event planning.

Starting her career at British Airways, Watson is known for her project management and interpersonal skills over 34 years of service. She received the British Airways "Above and Beyond" award for successfully managing $6 million corporate information technology initiative. She received the British Airways Outstanding Teamwork Award and was selected by colleagues for demonstrating company values of honesty and responsibility.

Watson is the immediate past president of the Long Island chapter of The Links, Inc. Under her leadership, she established the first National Society of Black Engineers chapter for middle-school girls on Long Island. Watson recently completed her term as communications chair for the Eastern Area of The Links and now serves as the Technology Chair for the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Long Island Chapter.

Goodwin is serving her first term on the Girl Scouts board. She is a detective and hostage negotiator with 18 years of experience with the NYPD. She is also an adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in the Law and Police Science Department, where she teaches and mentors hundreds of students seeking to explore careers in criminal justice and the legal field.

An entrepreneur and public speaker, Goodwin has shown a steadfast commitment to bridging the gap between law enforcement and the community. Her cross-cultural readiness to stand for justice and peace through civil dialogue has earned her recognition as an International World Civility Ambassador. She received the HOPE Award from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, in honor of her unwavering dedication to deploying conflict-resolution skills.

Goodwin has also been featured during National Criminal Justice Month at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. She recently chaired and hosted "Building Community Relationships," a thought-provoking youth forum about S.A.F.E Encounters (Sound Advice for Effective Encounters), "Building Community Relationships" with law enforcement, which included Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison.

She is a distinguished individual who has made significant contributions to her community and profession. In 2022, Goodwin received the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award issued by President Joseph Biden, recognizing her dedication to civic engagement and community service.

For more information about Girl Scouts of Nassau County and the efforts to support girls and communities throughout the county, go to Gsnc.org.