NEW YORK (AP) - A Mexican-American woman has been appointed to lead the Girl Scouts as an increasing number of Hispanics join the leadership organization.
The New York-based nonprofit announced Wednesday it has selected Anna Maria Chavez as its new chief executive officer.
The organization says it has seen a 55 percent increase in the number of Hispanic girls who have joined its ranks over the past 10 years.
They account for about 12 percent of the nearly 2.3 million girls.
Chavez has been the chief executive of Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas since 2009. She takes over for CEO Kathy Cloning, who is retiring.
Chavez previously served as an urban affairs policy adviser to former Arizona governor and current U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano.
She was raised in Arizona.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
