Major General Angie Salinas
By Lainey Berkus | Photography by David Teran
There is something I have always loved about a woman’s handbag. Not the brand nor the size. What I admire most is what the bag represents.
I’m always drawn to bags that tell a story about the woman who carries them —objects that reflect who she is, what she values, and how she shows up in the world. And, if there were ever a woman whose bag tells a story of purpose, leadership and heart, it is this remarkable leading lady. Read on.
When you think of Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas, you might picture cookie booths, badges, sashes and girls learning how to lead.
When you think of a Major General in the United States Marine Corps, you imagine discipline, command, resilience and responsibility on a global scale.
Now imagine one woman who embodies both. Meet Angie Salinas.
Angie has served as CEO of Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas since 2015. She is also the only Latina woman to have risen to the rank of Major General in the US Marine Corps, where she served for 39 years. This woman is truly the embodiment of leadership rooted in service.
Angie understands something deeply: whether you are leading Marines or mentoring a room full of young girls, the mission is the same — prepare people to be strong, capable, ethical, and brave while building courage, confidence, and character. She tells me that leadership in girls is not developed through instruction alone. It is cultivated through trust, encouragement and example. THAT is what Angie carries in her tote and why she is the perfect woman for a Bag story.
Angie’s ready-to-go bag is more than a sturdy white canvas tote with a bright green trefoil on its front pocket; it’s a symbol of Girl Scout spirit and pride. She calls it her “survival bag,” and it goes everywhere with her — into meetings, classrooms, boardrooms, and everyday conversations. Inside that bag lives the heart of Girl Scouts. Simply put, it’s a bag filled with purpose, preparation, patriotism, and possibility. Some might call this tote a portable philosophy.
Let’s take a look inside this momentous bag.
“My bag is about preparation. It holds the courage to speak up and the confidence to step forward and to believe in yourself. It carries symbols of integrity, kindness, and responsibility. I carry it every day, not for emergencies but for moments that matter. My mission is to share the story of Girl Scouts with everyone I meet, no matter their age or gender. I am always ready to talk about the power of girls. Always ready to encourage confidence. Always ready to remind others that young women are capable of more than they imagine. Every item in my bag opens a conversation about leadership, resilience, and becoming the kind of woman who is ready for anything”.
What are the items in your bag that represent responsibility and readiness?
“You won’t find clutter inside; what you will find is intention. Everything in my tote mirrors what Girl Scouts is all about. Inside are brochures, pins, medals, special badges, scarves, sashes, brand-proud items like scarves and water bottles. Each item represents a stage of learning, growth, and leadership for girls 5 through 19, from Daisies to Brownies, Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors. The skills learned deepen as the girls grow. By the time a Girl Scout reaches her final years, she carries far more than patches and memories. She has learned how to lead with confidence, think critically, serve others meaningfully, take initiative and turn ideas into actions. She leaves Girl Scouts with empathy, courage and purpose as she prepares for college or career.
“I love sharing the story behind my custom CEO patch. It’s one that each Girl Scout CEO creates for herself. My patch is not about rank or title. It is about how you can be anything, how you can lead, how you serve, and how you lift others along the way. This path represents a rare blend of strength and compassion, discipline and heart, courage and care and patriotism, the hallmarks of true leadership. At its center is character, doing the right thing when no one is watching, confidence in your voice and your ability to lead, courage in moments that require strength. The patch has the words “reach for the stars” with rising stars on a backdrop of the American Flag . Girl Scouts earn their patch, and when asked what “reach for the stars” means to them, they respond with no right or wrong answer. I ask them about the American Flag in the background and tell them every Girl Scout wears the American Flag on their sash and vest regardless of if they are a Daisy or an Ambassador, making every one of them a sister. I remind them we are a patriotic organization, and every troop meeting and Girl Scout event starts with the Pledge of Allegiance and Girl Scout oath. I then tell them I wore the “flag,” wearing the cloth of the nation as a U.S. Marine for 39 years. I then tell them the patch has their Council and my name on it… and the secret to the patch… the tiny two stars on each side… depicting my rank. Major General. Hence, “reach for the stars” reflects the stars I wore on my shoulders. Dreaming big, imagining the infinite possibilities of what they can become because becoming a general wasn’t a possibility for me when I joined the Marines.
Why does your bag matter?
“Long after the meetings end, the badges are sewn on, and the uniform is folded away, what remains is what the bag gave that young woman – courage, confidence, character. Is there anything better to keep inside a bag?”
Angie restocks her tote daily because she shares its contents with everyone she meets — like me. She carries it not as a CEO, but as a mentor, role model, and woman who understands that leadership begins with what you choose to carry on your life journey. Since meeting Angie, I located my Brownie pin and wear it on the lapel of my favorite blazer. I also enjoy wearing my new blue and green Girl Scout scarf that Angie gifted me during our interview. Thank you, Angie, for your service and reminding us that leadership is carried, worn, lived, and shared. Because of you, women stand taller, and we will pass on all the lessons you have shared with so many.
Angie’s Tips:
Buy Girl Scout cookies; all proceeds support Girl Scouts of South Texas.
Visit the Girl Scouts gift shop — you too can find a choice of survival bags with the proud trefoil symbol.
Calling all Girl Scout ALUMs to join Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas.
