Leadership Team

Why I do this...

While studying mathematics at Portland State University, I noticed firsthand how women are underrepresented in many fields. Having worked with kids for 10 years and specifically all-girl programs since 2016, I launched Girls Count to fill the gaps of traditional education that leave many students behind. My hope is that collaborative, project-based programming will give girls confidence in themselves to become strong, opinionated, educated members of their community.

Mary Hlastala

Founder and Executive Director

info@girlscountpdx.org

Why I do this...

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My experience tells me there are some holes in the current model of education that are a disservice to a large population of kids who are attending. A one-size-fits-all approach does not take into account how diverse a human can be. We are ALL born curious. Somewhere along the way in a traditional schooling experience, the innate desire to learn and think critically can be extinguished. Being part of a program like this allows families an alternate choice to the traditional learning model.

Board of Directors