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May 2021 Update

Forward

In this month's Update, you will find registration details for our upcoming webinar on "Gateway to Corporate Board Service: Demystifying the Experience" and news about the remarkable accomplishments of the members of our network.

Notably, three DirectWomen Board Institute alumnae and one current class member have recently been appointed to corporate boards. To date, more than 35% of DirectWomen alumnae have been elected to serve on at least one corporate board and, in total, alumnae have held 126 corporate board seats. Together we are succeeding in our mission to increase the representation of women lawyers on corporate boards.

All the best,

Catharine Biggs Arrowood
Chair, DirectWomen

THIS MONTH
Gateway to Corporate Board Service: Demystifying the Experience

May 20, 2021 at 2:00 PM Eastern

Looking for a window into the boardroom? Join our distinguished panelists as they offer their insights into “the room where it happens.” Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of how to evaluate board service opportunities, and how to be a savvy and effective board member once in the boardroom.

Featured Speakers:

Sarah C. Dodds-Brown, Executive Vice President and Managing Counsel, General Counsel’s Organization, American Express Company; Director, Party City Holdco Inc.
Melanie M. Trent, Former Executive VP, General Counsel, and Chief Administrative Officer, Rowan Companies plc; Director, Arcosa, Inc., Diamondback Energy, Inc., Frank’s International N.V., and Noble Holding Corporation plc
(Moderator) Maria C. Green, Former Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Ingersoll Rand; Director, Tennant Company, Littelfuse, Inc., and WEC Energy Group, Inc.

DirectWomen Board Institute Alumnae Success Story Interviews

Kelly McNamara Corley (Class of 2017) joined Jenny Hochenberg from DirectWomen Platinum Ambassador Sponsor Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP to discuss her board journey and tips for other women lawyers considering corporate board service. Kelly currently serves on the board of Goldman Sachs Bank USA. Click here to read the full interview.

Susan H. Alexander (Class of 2012) joined

Krista Carver from Platinum Ambassador Sponsor Covington & Burling LLP to share insights into board service and advice for women lawyers considering pursuing a board seat. Susan currently serves on the board of Invacare Corporation. Click here to read the full interview.

DirectWomen Alumnae and Class Member Added to Boards

Priscilla Almodovar (Class of 2008) has been appointed to the board of VEREIT, Inc. (NYSE: VER), a full-service real estate operating company that owns and manages one of the largest portfolios of single-tenant commercial properties in the U.S. Click here to read the press release. This is Priscilla's first board appointment.

Laurie B. Keating (Class of 2018) has been appointed to the board of Immuneering Corporation, a company that provides unparalleled computational biology services to leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Click here to read the press release. This is Laurie's second board appointment. Laurie previously served on the board of Imbria Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Jannie K. Lau (Class of 2020-2021) has been appointed to the board of Arduro Sustainable Rubber, Inc., a company dedicated to the economic and environmentally friendly disposal of waste rubber. This is Jannie's first board appointment.

Kathleen Wilson-Thompson (Class of 2007) has been appointed to the board of Wolverine World Wide, Inc. (NASDAQ: WWW), one of the world's leading marketers of branded footwear, apparel, and accessories. Click here to read the press release. This is Kathleen's fourth board appointment. Kathleen also serves on the board of Tesla, Inc., and previously served on the boards of Ashland Global Holdings, Inc. and Vulcan Materials Company.

Are you seeking qualified women directors for your board? Contact DirectWomen for qualified candidates tailored to the needs of your organization.

Items of Interest

DirectWomen Board Member Lisa Fairfax has been elected to the board of Franchise Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: FRG), an owner and operator of franchised and franchisable businesses. Click here to read the press release. This is Lisa's first board appointment. Congratulations, Lisa!

In other news, the California Partners Project on Board Diversity has released the report: Claim Your Seat: Women of Color on California's Public Company Boards. The report found that the number of women on California's public company boards has nearly doubled since 2018. Still, 563 more seats need to be filled by women by the end of 2021, assuming current board sizes remain the same. Click here to download the full report.

April Virtual Program Recording

Power Chat with Former Honoree Pamela L. Carter

Featured Speakers:
Pamela L. Carter and interviewer Roberta D. Liebenberg

Thank You to Our 2021 Sponsors!

Platinum Ambassador Sponsors

Platinum Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

Hogan Lovells US LLP
Latham & Watkins LLP and Karen E. Silverman
Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Thompson Hine LLP
Toyota Motor North America, Inc.

Silver Sponsors

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
Huntington Bancshares Incorporated
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
PepsiCo Inc.
Snell & Wilmer L.L.P.

Interested in sponsoring DirectWomen in 2021? Contact Shawn Taylor Kaminski for more information.

Message from the Chair

THIS MONTH Gateway to Corporate Board Service: Demystifying the Experience