Empowering Women Leaders: EnerSys Supports Take the Lead

Each year, the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania (GSEP) hosts their annual fundraising event, Take the Lead. As a signature Girl Scout event, Take the Lead is dedicated to celebrating local women leaders and empowering young girls through leadership opportunities, scholarship fundraising, and mentorship.

Image: Provided by Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania

EnerSys served as the presenting sponsor of this year’s Take the Lead Berks County event, proudly supporting the GSEP with a $15,000 donation. Held on April 3rd, 2024, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Reading, the event honored positive role models who embody the Girl Scouts’ mission of fostering courage, confidence, and character.

Andi Funk, Chief Financial Officer at EnerSys and former Take the Lead honoree, serves as co-chair of Take the Lead Berks County. “I am honored to support this event and its mission to empower the next generation of women leaders,” Andi said. “And I’m even more proud to work for a company like EnerSys that recognizes the value of community events like this one.”

At EnerSys, being an active member of the communities in which we work and live is at the core of our culture. Christy Barnhart, Director of Commercial Services at EnerSys and former chair of our Women in Leadership Business Resource Group, recently joined the Board of Directors of the GSEP. “I am thrilled to be a member of the GSEP Board,” Christy remarked, “It has been a privilege to present to the extraordinary young women who run the Take the Lead event in past years, and I am looking forward to supporting the event in the future.”

As part of Take the Lead, high school-aged Girl Scouts are offered the chance to receive one-on-one mentoring and expand their professional networks. Girl Scouts of all ages are given the opportunity to hold various roles during the event, serving as hosts, presenters, social media influencers, and members of the chorus. This platform allows girls to showcase their leadership abilities and professionalism, all while connecting to positive role models.

The experiences gained during the event have a lasting impact on young girls that extends far beyond a single evening. Andi’s experience with her mentee during her time as an honoree exemplified this. The high-school aged Girl Scout she mentored 7 years ago, attended the event with her this year as her guest. The former Girl Scout is now a college graduate and still reflects on the impact Girl Scouts had on her confidence and leadership development.

“This is a fantastic event for young girls and for our community,” Andi emphasized. “It allows girls to demonstrate their incredible leadership potential, while celebrating our strong local female leaders.”

As the presenting sponsor for this year’s event, EnerSys is proud to support Take the Lead’s mission and to empower the remarkable women and girls who are shaping a brighter future in Berks County and beyond.

For more information about the 2024 Take the Lead Event or the GSEP please visit, Support | Take the Lead | Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania (gsep.org)