Women Board Directors Development Program

• Deepen knowledge of board roles and responsibilities, including financial reporting, corporate strategy, CEO performance and regulatory compliance
• Understand the best professional pathways to influential boards
• Develop a detailed personal action plan for securing the right board seat and advancing board service
• Learn proven techniques for becoming known to nominating committees
• Understand the board interview and onboarding process
• Hear from sitting board members how they found their best voice at the table

The Opportunity

• How do women board members contribute to higher performing organizations?
• Where are board opportunities increasing for women?
• The program is also open to men who are looking for ways to support women joining more boards.

Effective Boards and Board Members

• What are the characteristics of the best boards and board members?
• What do women in particular bring to the table? A look at the research on this diversity effect as well as the opinions of current board members.

Board Roles and Responsibilities

• How are boards structured and what are formal roles and responsibilities?
• What are the characteristics of different types of boards, including nonprofit, private, startup and corporate?

Developing a Personal Board Strategy and Action Plan

• Which boards make sense for you? Getting clear on relevant values and goals.
• How can you leverage your experience into the right board opportunities?
• What skills and background are boards looking for? What will they see as your strengths? What is the best way to fill gaps?
• What strategic career choices should you consider to position yourself for directorship?

Focused Networking Techniques

• Learn how marketing yourself as a potential board member is different from seeking an executive position.
• Practice this different type of marketing and networking.
• Learn how to reach out to directors and others outside your network.

Effectively Joining New Boards

• What are board members and recruiters looking for in a candidate?
• Best practices for onboarding.
• Forging influential relationships with other board members and with management.

Guest Speakers/Advisors

Elizabeth Bastoni

• Currently President of the Remuneration Committee for Jerónimo Martins (Lisbon) and Chair of the Remuneration Committee and of the Nomination Committee for Société BIC (Paris)
• Previously served as Chair of the Compensation Committees for Carlson Wagonlit Travel and for The Rezidor Hotel Group
• Former Chief HR Officer for BMGI

Betsy Berkhemer-Credaire

• Author of The Board Game – How Smart Women Become Corporate Directors
• Founder, Berkhemer-Clayton Retained Executive Search
• Chairman, Women Corporate Directors, Los Angeles/Orange County

Adriane Brown

• Senior Advisor and former President and COO for Intellectual Ventures
• Currently serves on the board of directors of eBay, Allergan Plc., and Jobs for America’s Graduates
• Chairman of the board of the Pacific Science Center

Colleen Brown

• New Chairman of the Board, American Apparel
• Former President, CEO and Director, Fisher Communications
• Managing Director Pacific Northwest, Newport Board Group

Connie Collingsworth

• General Counsel, Secretary and Member of the Executive Leadership Team of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
• Board Member and Governance and Nominating Committee Chair, Banner Corporation
• Board Member, Premera Blue Cross

Jan Hendrickson

• Managing Partner and Founder at Denny Hill Capital
• Chairman, founding board member and investor of global beauty brand butter LONDON, Director of The Commerce Bank of Washington
• Previously served as Chairman of Tully’s Coffee through its bankruptcy and successful sale to Global Baristas

Dawn Lepore

• Former CEO and Chairman of the Board of drugstore.com, inc.
• Currently serves on the boards of AOL, Real Networks and Coupons.com
• Previously served on the boards of TJX, eBay, Inc., Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and The New York Times Company

Joanna Lohkamp

• Past Chairman of the board for Delta Dental of Washington, where she currently chairs the Nominating and Governance Committee and sits on the Audit Committee
• Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee of Woods Bagot and former Chair of the Nom/Gov and Compensation committees of The Kleinfelder Group
• Principal at Eaton Square and Founder and President of Sound Business Solutions

Liane Pelletier

• President, National Association of Corporate Directors Northwest Board, Northwest Chapter
• Member of corporate boards of firms in global logistics and telecommunications as well as a solar power and seafood harvest and processing
• Operating executive in telecommunications for twenty-five years

Susan Preston

• General Partner for the CalCEF Clean Energy Angel Fund
• Buerk Endowed Fellow for Entrepreneurship at the University of Washington, Foster School of Business
• Trustee, Angel Resource Institute
• Chair of Angel Resource Institute: Women First Enterprises

Advisors

Patty Bedient

• Retired Executive Vice President and CFO of Weyerhaeuser Company
• Currently serves on the publicly traded boards of directors of Alaska Air Group where she is the Lead Independent Director, Park Hotels and Resorts, and Suncor Energy, Inc.
• Current not-for-profit board service includes the Oregon State University board of trustees, Chair of the Board of Overlake Hospital Medical Center, and the advisory board for the UW Foster School

Phyllis Campbell

• Chairman, Pacific Northwest, JP Morgan Chase
• Lead Director, Alaska Air Group
• Director, Nordstrom Inc.
• Toyota Diversity Advisory Board

Academic Director

Cate Goethals
Adjunct Professor Cate Goethals of the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington specializes in leadership development for professional women. Cate’s “Women at the Top” class was recognized by Forbes as one of the 10 “most innovative” MBA classes. A much sought-after speaker on issues related to women in leadership, Cate has recently completed a major international study of the impact of women on boards.

The Women Board Directors Development Program is designed for executive-level women who are within 5 years of sitting on a company board or large non-profit board, but is open to everyone regardless of gender.

Please have your resume on hand to upload with the completed application form.

It is strongly encouraged that you register early as space is limited. See discount and cancellation policies.

Location
Bank of America Executive Center (BAEC)
University of Washington Main Campus
4275 NE Stevens Way
Seattle, WA 98195
View map

Parking
You will receive a parking code and instructions on where to park on campus from the program manager via email prior to the start of the class.

Commuter info
Please see these resources for information about commuting by bike, bus, or train:

• Biking to campus
• Transportation Services info on bus and train commuting

Disability accommodation
The University is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education, and employment for individuals with disabilities. Please see this reference about submitting accommodation requests.

Class materials and homework
You will be contacted by the program manager via email and provided with materials to read prior to class. Also, please bring a printed version of your resume to class.

Continuing Education Credits
Participants are eligible to receive 1.1 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for this seminar. You must request tracking of your CEU credits when you register. More information about CEUs.

Schedule at a glance