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Rachel Broussard is shown working at a retreat for Girls Scouts.

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Rachel Rudd Broussard from Kaplan.

Kaplan native rises to CEO of Girl Scouts

A Kaplan native is now one of the two highest ranking people in Girl Scouts of Louisiana.
Last week, Rachel Rudd Broussard, a 1990 Kaplan High graduate, was named the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Girl Scouts, overseeing 42 parishes west of the Mississippi.
Her district includes Shreveport, Monroe, Alexandria, Lafayette and Lake Charles. The district, she oversees, is called “Pines to the Gulf District.” There are 8,000 girls and 3,000 adult volunteers in the district.
She replaces Sue Sewall, who had been the CEO of the district for 32 years.
“I have found my voice,” said Broussard who has been in Girl Scouts for the last 15 years. “This has been the greatest experience.”
Broussard, who is married to Abbeville native Shawn Broussard, lives in Lafayette with her family.
She enlisted in the U.S. Army after high school and was stationed in Hanau, Germany where she was awarded the Army Achievement Medal for outstanding support services during Operation Desert Storm. She has served as an AmeriCorps member where she provided services to Habitat for Humanity, Louisiana Coastal Restoration efforts as well as mentoring at risk youth in middle schools and Lafayette Parish Teen Court in Southwestern Louisiana. Broussard has also served as a United Way of South Louisiana Campaign Volunteer Chair, United Way of Iberia Campaign Volunteer, and as a member of the Acadiana Violence Prevention Task Force.
While working at a children’s shelter in 2001, she saw an ad in the newspaper about a position with the Girl Scouts in the Lafayette area.
She was hired and over time, she rose through the ranks of the Girl Scouts. She began as an employee of the Bayou Council (Acadiana area) and then overtime, was promoted to chief operating officer over the 42 parish district
As the chief operating officer – direct services,
Broussard was chosen to lead the council in its strategic learning and planning initiative through participation in Girl Scouts of the USA Strategic Learning Pilot Program lead by Willie Pietersen (Reinventing Strategy) at the Columbia School of Business in New York. Recently, Broussard was chosen to participate in the National Human Services Assembly Executive Leadership Certificate Program in collaboration with Arizona State University’s, Arizona State Lodestar Center for Philanthropy & Nonprofit Innovation, Indiana State University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs, and the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy’s Fund Raising School.
As a CEO of Girl Scouts, Broussard’s mission is to continue the push to get young ladies to join Girl Scouts throughout Louisiana. In Feburary, Broussard will be conducting a council-wide tour to meet members of the community and visit with members.
“Being in Girl Scouts is still popular,” said Broussard. “We work hard everyday to make sure Girl Scouts is still relevant. I like to think Girl Scouts is moving and changing with the times.”
She is the daughter of Patricia and Robert Rudd.

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