Girls Inc. Welcomes Karen Bennett, Lea Paine Highet, Hope Johnson and Karina Rosenthal to National Board

NEW YORK, Sept. 24, 2024  — Girls Inc., the pre-eminent girl’s leadership organization, is proud to appoint four new members to its National Board of Directors in its 160th anniversary year. The new board members are accomplished leaders committed to equity and to ensuring all girls have access to the experiences that will set them up for life-long success. These leaders join a stellar roster of existing board members dedicated to advancing Girls Inc.’s mission and to creating opportunities for many more girls across the United States and Canada to benefit from the Girls Inc. Experience.

“We are thrilled to welcome our newest members of the Girls Inc. National Board of Directors,” said Dr. Stephanie J. Hull, President and CEO of Girls Inc. “They join a group of exceptional professionals who share a deep commitment to equity and an understanding that when girls are equipped to lead and tap into their inherent power their potential is limitless. Together, they will be instrumental in building upon the rich history of Girls Inc. and creating a culture of organizational excellence.”

New members of the National Board of Directors include:

Karen Bennett

Karen Bennett is the executive vice president and chief people officer for Cox Enterprises, a private, family-owned company based in Atlanta, Georgia, with $23 billion in annual revenues. In her role, she leads the people solutions, corporate affairs, inclusion & diversity, HR technology services, total rewards, talent acquisition, and the brand, marketing and creative departments. Bennett brings more than 30 years of experience leading teams that focus on maximizing talent potential and the entire employee experience while addressing the needs of the business.

Bennett is a graduate of Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia where she earned both her bachelor’s and executive MBA degrees. Terry College recognized Bennett as a Distinguished Alumni in April 2023.

Lea Paine Highet

Lea Paine Highet is a Managing Member and Principal at Douglass Winthrop Advisors, LLC, an SEC-Registered Investment Advisor headquartered in New York, that provides wealth and asset management services to individuals, families, trusts and endowments. She chairs the firm’s wealth management group and counsels clients on all aspects of their planning with a particular focus on working with multi-generational families.

Paine Highet is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® practitioner and a member of STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners).

She is on the board of the Open Space Institute, a national conservation leader, and the Adirondack Foundation, a community foundation dedicated to building more equitable communities in the Adirondacks. She also serves as treasurer of the Coby Foundation which funds projects in the textile and needle arts field. She is a past trustee of The Chapin School, The St. Bernard’s School and the Museum of the City of New York.

Paine Highet graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College. A graduate of an all girls school, she has devoted her career to empowering women of all ages to become financially literate.

CFP Board owns the marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the U.S.

Hope Johnson

Hope Johnson is Chief Financial Officer at Haven Technologies an Insurtech start-up based in NYC. She joined Haven in September 2021 and has been charged with establishing the Finance Function and Processes.

Before joining Haven Technologies, Johnson spent 20 years with IBM, serving in a variety of Finance roles. In her last role, she was Vice President and Assistant Controller, IBM Business Controls. In this role, she managed IBM’s Internal Controls Framework across all IBM brands, geographies and functions. Prior to this role, Johnson served as Director of Finance for various company divisions, including Systems Risk, Controls & Revenue; Global Business Services Delivery (IBM Consulting); and Global Services Integration Hub in Dublin, Ireland.

Johnson received her Bachelor’s in Management from the University of the West Indies, Jamaica, with First Class Honors. She earned her MBA in Finance at Columbia Business School and received Beta Gamma Sigma Honors recognition.

Johnson serves as a Board Member of the Women Business Collaborative (WBC), an alliance of business women’s organizations working together towards common goals. She is also a member of the Horizons National, an organization dedicated to advancing educational equity.

Karina Rosenthal

Karina Rosenthal has served on the board of Girls Inc. of Greater Indianapolis for the past six years, actively supporting the organization’s mission to inspire all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. Her passion for the cause is rooted in her own experience as an immigrant to the United States, where she overcame language barriers and economic challenges. As a mother of three young daughters, Rosenthal is deeply committed to empowering the next generation of female leaders.

Rosenthal is the Chief Operating Officer at Impact Financial Group, a franchise of Ameriprise Financial, based in Indianapolis, Indiana. In this role, she oversees the delivery of financial planning and wealth management solutions tailored to individuals and business owners. Additionally, she serves as managing partner at Terebinth Group, a company that provides housing to over 350 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Prior to her current roles, Rosenthal spent 15 years with KPMG in various consulting and internal technology leadership positions. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

Rosenthal holds both a bachelor’s degree and an executive MBA from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.

These new members join an outstanding group of 26 champions for girls who comprise the Girls Inc. Board of Directors.

About Girls Inc. Girls Inc. is a network of local organizations that works with schools and in communities across the United States and Canada. Through direct service and advocacy Girls Inc. equips girls -particularly girls from low-income communities and girls of color – with the knowledge and skills to effect positive changes in their lives and to become leaders who will change the world. Professionally trained staff and volunteers provide mentorship, safe spaces, and programming that address the unique challenges girls face and are proven to help girls succeed. Together with partners and supporters, Girls Inc. is building the new generation of leaders.