TUCSON, Ariz. (Oct. 16, 2026) — Starting this fall, Banner – University Medicine will be the first Official Health Partner of the Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona, bringing together two trusted community organizations with a shared commitment to helping girls grow into healthy, confident and resilient young women.
Through the new partnership, Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona and Banner – University Medicine Tucson will explore opportunities to provide health and wellness programming, educational resources, health tips for girls and families, career exploration and community-based opportunities for the entire family throughout southern Arizona. Banner Health serves communities across several of the markets where Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona operates, creating opportunities for the partnership to reach girls and families where they live, learn and participate.
“Girl Scouts has always understood that a healthy, thriving girl is a whole person,” said Kristen Hernandez, CEO of Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona. “We help girls develop confidence, leadership skills, as well as a strong sense of self—discovering strengths and interests while finding their voices. But no single organization can provide everything a girl and her family need. That is why I am thrilled for our partnership with Banner – University Medicine Tucson, as they bring tremendous expertise in health and wellness, and together we can create even more opportunities for girls and families to learn, connect and thrive.”
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The partnership also creates a pathway for girls to see themselves in healthcare careers. By connecting girls with healthcare professionals and exposing them to the wide range of careers within medicine and health sciences, the organizations can help girls imagine themselves not only as patients and consumers of healthcare, but as the future scientists, physicians, nurses, researchers, technicians and health professionals who will care for their communities.
“Our healthcare field includes many important roles that are not as well known as nursing and practicing medicine. We look forward to sharing with the Girl Scouts the many exciting and rewarding opportunities to contribute to non-profit, mission-based organizations like Banner – University Medicine Tucson. The reason we exist is to care for people and help keep the community healthy, and there are many people in myriad roles working in concert to make that happen every day,” said Banner – University Medicine Tucson CEO Alison Flynn Gaffney.
A girl’s ability to thrive is shaped by the people, relationships, experiences and systems surrounding her—from building meaningful connections and exploring possibilities, to accessing healthcare and developing physical and mental well-being—that together, help build resilience and confidence.
This partnership will support 3,000 Girl Scouts from kindergarten through 12th grade across southern Arizona.
“We’re excited to partner with Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona in helping girls be their healthiest, best selves, now and as they grow into capable young women,” said Tawnya Tretschok, chief operating officer of Banner – University Medical Group Tucson. “Their futures are bright, especially when they are confident in knowing anything is possible if they have the courage to go after it.”
About the Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona
Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona is comprised of over 4,000 Girl Scout members from Pima, Cochise, Santa Cruz, Pinal, Graham, Greenlee, and Yuma counties. The organization is one of 112 Girl Scouts of the USA councils. Nationwide, Girl Scouts is 2.6 million strong—1.8 million girls and 800,000 adults who believe in the power of each and every girl to change the world. Girl Scouts build girls of courage, confidence and character, who help make the world a better place through the organization’s one-of-a-kind leadership development program.
About Banner Health
Banner Health's mission is to make health care easier, so life can be better. As one of the nation's largest fully integrated nonprofit health systems, the organization is pioneering a sustainable care model that prioritizes prevention, manages chronic disease, and reduces health spending – succeeding when patients stay healthy, not when they get sick. Banner Health operates 33 hospitals and more than 400 sites across six states, delivering seamless care from primary to quaternary medicine, including health insurance, physician networks, world-renowned specialty services, and behavioral health. Accountable to the communities it serves, Banner reinvests every dollar into advancing care, research, and facilities, providing more than $1 billion each year in community benefit. Through its partnership with the University of Arizona, Banner drives clinical discoveries across more than 800 trials and trains more than 1,300 residents and fellows annually. Headquartered in Arizona, Banner serves Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, and Wyoming. Its hospitals are consistently ranked among Arizona's top-performing by U.S. News & World Report. For more information, visit bannerhealth.com/about.
