From Penn State Berks
Pictured above: Chancellor Radha Pyati (center) is pictured with her Girl Scout mentee, Kayla K., at the Lion Bench on campus. As part of the Take the Lead program, high school-aged Girl Scouts are paired with each honoree to shadow them for a day at their professional work setting. Photo courtesy of Samantha Bower / Penn State
Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania (GSEP) recently announced that Penn State Berks Chancellor and Dean Radha Pyati will receive the prestigious Take the Lead Berks Award during an award ceremony on Tuesday, April 14, at Redner’s Event Center in Reading. According to the GSEP news release, honorees are leaders in both their professional industries and communities, serving as positive role models for Girl Scouts in Berks County through their careers and dedication to local causes they support.
In her role as chancellor and dean at Penn State Berks, Pyati is responsible for supervising all aspects of college administration, including academic programs, student affairs, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and more. As the first female chancellor of Penn State Berks since 2011, she is focused on creating equal opportunities for female students and faculty, frequently participating in the Penn State Emerging Leadership program to build strong academic pathways and champion professional development for women in the community.
In the community, Pyati is a member of the board of directors of the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance, where she holds the role of treasurer, and serves on the board of its affiliate, the Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce & Industry. She serves on the board of the Berks County Workforce Development and Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center, and she has recently joined the board of the United Way of Berks County.
Beyond serving as an opportunity to acknowledge women leaders in the region, Take the Lead is also a unique leadership opportunity for Girl Scouts.
As part of the Take the Lead program, high school-aged Girl Scouts are paired with each honoree to shadow them for a day at their professional work setting to gain impactful career and leadership insights, as well as receive guidance on building their own professional networks. The girls, who are selected through a competitive application and interview process, then creatively reflect on the experience and deliver presentations at the Take the Lead event. Girl Scouts will also serve as presenters, emcees, event hosts, social media influencers, and chorus members at the award ceremony.
Girl Scout Kayla K., a Tulpehocken Area High School junior, spent Feb. 10 shadowing Pyati to see what a day in the life of a chancellor is like.
“When Kyala shadowed me recently, I had an opportunity to meet a future leader of tomorrow. I enjoyed our conversation very much. Kayla is a really special person, and I know she is going to do great things.”
“Through their vision, resilience, and commitment to lifting others in the community, our 2026 Take the Lead Berks County honorees truly exemplify the Girl Scout values we look to instill in the future changemakers of our region,” said Kim E. Fraites-Dow, chief executive officer of GSEP. “We are thrilled to honor these women and celebrate not only their individual accomplishments but the impact they have in strengthening our community. We look forward to having our Girl Scouts learn firsthand from these women to help shape the next generation of leaders and build courage, confidence, and character to make the world a better place for years to come.”
This year, guests at the Take the Lead event are welcome to join Troop Take the Lead and engage in Girl Scout-led activities through a themed cocktail reception followed by an inspiring program celebrating outstanding leaders and girls who are making a difference in our community.
Other honorees for the award include:
- Meggan Hannigan-Kerber, associate vice president of institutional Advancement, Alvernia University
- Monica Reyes, vice president for programs and initiatives, Berks County Community Foundation
- Karen Wang, MD, FAAP, chief medical officer, Berks Community Health Center
For more information, visit www.gsep.org/ttlberks.
About Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania
Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania (GSEP) is the largest girl-serving organization in Pennsylvania and builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. What was started in 1912 in Savannah, GA, by founder Juliette Gordon Low as one small, yet dedicated troop of diverse girls has grown into 2.8 million Girl Scouts across the U.S. today. GSEP serves more than 25,000 girls in partnership with more than 14,000 volunteers in Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, and Philadelphia counties. Today, 80 percent of women in leadership and executive roles in the U.S. are Girl Scouts. Girl Scout alumni comprise 70 percent of women in the U.S. Congress. For further information about Girl Scouting, call 215-564-2030 or visit www.gsep.org.
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