It is with profound sorrow that Girl
Scouts of the USA announces the passing of Cathy M. Coughlin, a longtime member
of the National Board of Directors. She died April 23 after a battle with
cancer. She was 57.
Cathy
proudly served on the National Board of Girl Scouts of the USA for seven years.
In everything she did, she embodied all the qualities of a true Girl Scout—loyalty,
passion, leadership, and a commitment to making the world a better place. She
made an impact through her work at both the national level and at Girl Scouts Northeast
Texas. Her heart and passion for our mission shone most clearly when she was spending
time among the girls our Movement serves.
Through her
role as the most senior woman in a leadership position at AT&T, Cathy was a
role model for girls. As chief marketing officer, she was responsible for
crafting the company’s image as a mobile technology leader, and she personally
launched AT&T’s “It Can Wait” campaign to end texting while driving.
A Girl Scout
alumna, Cathy was a tireless advocate for girls. She imagined a future in which
more women sat on corporate boards and more girls pursued degrees and careers
in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). She saw Girl Scouts as
one way to ensure this future. Thanks to her leadership, AT&T invested over
$2 million in Girl Scout programming during her time on the board. This
investment included one of the largest gifts ever made to Girl Scouts of the
USA toward STEM programming, benefitting the Imagine Your STEM Future program.
This successful collaboration reached thousands of girls across the country,
many of them from underserved communities, with activities designed to help them
see themselves pursuing a STEM career.
The board will
miss Cathy’s presence at our table, where she was a tireless advocate for girls.
She never wavered in her strong belief that any decision made by the National
Board be guided by a simple principle: we owe our girls a big vision for the
future. Her light, indefatigable energy, force of character, courageous
leadership, and gigantic heart will always be remembered by everyone whose life
she touched.
Cathy M.
Coughlin was born on July 2, 1957, in St. Louis, Missouri, the daughter of
Eugene and Laura Coughlin. She is survived by her mother, Laura; her four
brothers Kevin Coughlin, Jim Coughlin, Dan Coughlin, and Mick Coughlin; her
sister Mary Coughlin Shillinger, and 11 nieces and nephews.
In lieu of
flowers, donations can be made in Cathy’s memory to the Dallas Women's
Foundation, Girl Scouts of the USA, Northwestern University-Catherine M.
Coughlin Summer Internship Fund, Rosati Kain High School, or a charity of your
choice.