Natasha L. Hemmings, MPA, is the Chief Executive Officer for the Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey and is the first African-American women in the council’s history to lead the organization. A long-time advocate of girl empowerment and leadership, as she is a Lifetime Member of the Girl Scouts of the USA and served Girl Scouts of Central & Southern New Jersey as their Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for 18 years. As CEO, Natasha holds a senior leadership role with significant strategic and supervisory responsibilities for the second largest Girl Scout Council in the state, with an annual budget of well over $6.5M. Natasha has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration with a concentration in Non-Profit Leadership from Rutgers University, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications & Theater from the College of New Jersey, formerly Trenton State College. She also holds an Executive Non-Profit Leadership Certificate from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Natasha is a Rutgers University School of Public Affairs and Administration MBA Board Member. She has been selected to serve on Girl Scouts of the USA’s National Convention Action Team for the last 4 National Council Sessions with increasing roles and responsibilities over a 12-year span. She plays a critical role in sharing the inspirational stories of Girl Scouts in the state, inspiring girls of every age and families of every culture to join.
Natasha has a deep passion for issues pertaining to women, girls, diversity, equity, and inclusivity, and has focused her community service in these areas. She is the immediate past Vice President and current Treasurer of the Barbados-American Charitable Organization of NJ and a proud lifetime member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. which is a public service organization that strives to confront the problems of African Americans and, hence, all Americans. In this capacity, Natasha has served as past President of the Iota Beta Chapter, Co-Chair for the Arts & Letters Committee, and member of the Fundraising and Mental & Physical Health Committees. She served as a Girl Scout Co-Leader for over ten years in the urban community of Plainfield, serving a multi-level, multi-cultural troop of 32 girls. She led troop meetings, conducted Journey and badge activities, planned programs and special events, and chaperones trips with girls ranging in age from five to fourteen.
Active in multiple charitable organizations and committees, Natasha is also a member of GSUSA’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Racial Justice Steering Committee, and a proud Lead NJ Alum. Lead NJ is dedicated to developing well-informed leaders who are prepared to cross boundaries between sectors, work effectively with people of all backgrounds, find common ground with those who may think differently about issues, and work in a spirit of shared commitment to our state’s success.
Most recently, Natasha was selected as one of the top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs in New Jersey and made the ROI-NJ 2020 Influencers: People of Color list. In 2018 she was also recognized as one of South Jersey Biz’s Women to Watch and was recognized by Citrin Cooperman at their Women at the Wheel event with a Leadership Excellence Award. Natasha was inducted into the Plainfield High School Alumni Association Hall of Fame in 2019. She has been a guest lecturer for several graduate courses at Rutgers University School of Public Affairs and Administration in Newark and is co-chair for a local high schools’ Parent Athletic Club. Natasha has spoken on panels for the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights, the Rutgers Center for Women in Business, and more.
Natasha is an entrepreneur herself and owns 3KeyEvents, a wedding and special event planning company. She attributes her success to the unwavering support of her parents, husband Okello, two daughters Naomi and Chelsea and bonus son, Xavier.