Our Team
Board of Directors
Sarah H. Smith, Co-Founder & Director
Sarah Smith, along with Co-Founder Rebecca Rauth, founded GirlSportWorks in the fall of 2003 with the goal of creating a social service program that would benefit young women in underprivileged communities. She currently serves as Co-Director and Co-Chairman of GirlSportWorks.
Sarah grew up in Philadelphia and graduated from Yale University in May 2003 with a B.A. in Humanities. At Yale, she was a member of the Yale Track and Field team and served as captain for the 2002-2003 season.
Sarah has professional experience in the field of international development and social enterprise, specifically in the basic education, teacher training, and energy sectors, and has worked in Peru, Southern Sudan, Liberia, and India. She has learned and grown enormously from her involvement with GirlSportWorks and looks forward to carrying the successes of the organization into the future.
Rebecca C. Rauth, Co-Founder & Director
Rebecca Rauth currently serves as Co-Director and Co-Chairman of GirlSportWorks and has overseen GSW's development since its inception in 2003. Rebecca, along with Co-Founder Sarah Smith, formed and incorporated GirlSportWorks, a public benefit non-profit corporation, in Los Angeles, California in September 2003. Following the company's formation, Rebecca moved to Cusco, Peru along with Sarah to launch and manage the GSW program through Fall 2004. She continues to co-manage all business aspects of the organization.
Rebecca graduated from Yale University in 2003 with a B.A in History and distinction in her major. She was a four-year member of the Yale Women's Varsity Track Team, competing in the 100 and 400 Meter Hurdles and on the 4x400 Meter Relay; she earned Second Team All-Ivy in the 400 Meter Hurdles in 2001. Rebecca currently resides in San Francisco and works at Gap Inc. Gap Inc. has a rich history of philanthropic commitment to non-profits and has been a significant supporter of GirlSportWorks over the years.
Paulette Katzenbach, CFO
It has been my privilege and pleasure to be associated with GirlSportWorks since its inception. Rebecca Rauth and her family have been friends of my family since she was born. I met Sarah Smith the year before she graduated from Yale and had an instant connection -- she and my husband attended the same Philadelphia school, Episcopal Academy, although MANY years apart! I was delighted to be asked to be the Chief Financial Officer of GirlSportWorks and continue to be impressed with the leadership, mission and on-site management of this non-profit.
I am a graduate of Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA and have been a member of its Board of Trustees since 1986. I am also the Vice-Chair of the Foundation Board of the Curry School of Education of the University of Virginia and the Vice-President of the KKC Foundation. My lifetime has been spent supporting educational institutions and non-profits. GirlSportWorks is the one dearest to my heart because I know firsthand the hard work that has gone into making this a sustainable success. The founders of GirlSportWorks have international insights and experiences far beyond their years. The Program Managers have faced the unknown and conquered obstacles with maturity and creativity -- while being thousands of miles from their homes.
In April 2008, I visited Cusco for the first time and had the opportunity to see the program in action and to meet the fortunate young women who benefit from GirlSportWorks. The connection between the Program Managers and the program participants is a joy to behold and reinforces the importance of global awareness. The positive impact that GirlSportWorks has had on the young women lucky enough to participate in its programs is truly amazing. My own life has been greatly enriched by being part of this non-profit and getting to know its dedicated leaders. I am inspired to be better by being around the founders and Program Managers. One of my favorite true stories relates the words of a wise religious leader who thanked a donor for a generous gift. The donor said, "That's OK. It was the least I could do." The religious leader then said that none of us should do "the least" we can do. We should all strive to do "the most" we can do to better the lives of others. Each and every participant is GirlSportWorks does just that -- the MOST she can do.