Girls Inc. of the Island City Programs

Girls Inc. of the Island City Programs are offered by Girls Incorporated of the Island City. The organization states that it is the longest-running girls’ leadership program and that it has evolved with girls to meet the challenges and opportunities of the day. The programs are part of an organization whose mission statement is “Inspiring all girls to be Strong, Smart, & Bold.”

Girls Inc. of the Island City reports that its programs help girls gain the knowledge and skills to effect positive change in their lives and that they become leaders who will change the world. The organization also reports national outcome statistics from its participants: 89% of girls say they have been physically active in the past week, 90% of girls believe they will graduate from college, and 83% of girls say they can use what they know to solve “real-life” problems in their communities. The leadership team includes Jennifer Pigza, Chief Executive Officer; Linda Ballentine, Finance Manager; Richard Ian Tracy, Office Manager; Renata Moreira, Development and Marketing Director; Natalie Duarte, Director of Programs; Caroline Ford, Assistant Director of Programs; Bettina Francisco, Social Emotional Learning Coordinator; Utronda Wilson, Director of Alameda Island Kids Program; and Alameda Island Kids Site Directors Lois Hodges (Earhart), Angela Smith (Edison), Sandy Glendinning (Franklin), and Moriah Walton (Otis). A testimonial from Julie, a Girls Inc. of the Island City Teen Program alumna, National Scholarship Winner, and UC Berkeley student, states that without the help of Girls Inc. of the Island City, she would not have been able to become a bold and visionary first-generation college student, and that through their many programs she has learned to push her limits and to dream of a better future for herself.

Last updated June 18, 2026.