- History and Mission
- Who We Are
- Sponsors
- Advocates
- Celebrating 30 Years
Our Mission
Increasing the Number of Women in Executive Leadership and on Corporate Boards
Our History
OnBoard, formerly the Board of Directors Network (BDN), was founded in 1993 by Margaret “Peggy” (Espinda) LaFreniere. Inspired by a conference put on by The International Alliance for Women regarding women on boards, Peggy and the 37 other charter members started OnBoard. The initial focus was on increasing the number of women on corporate boards of both public and private companies. The mission later expanded to include women in leadership positions because those women were in the best position to fill the pipeline of qualified women to serve on corporate boards.
OnBoard was among the first organizations in the country to recognize that the mission to increase the number of women on boards would require an organized effort. And the first, in the United States, to field a study benchmarking the number of women on corporate boards. The OnBoard study has been reporting progress for Georgia public companies since 1993. OnBoard was a founding member of ION, the InterOrganization Network, a national nonprofit umbrella organization dedicated to increasing the number of women on for-profit boards and in executive suites.
Today, OnBoard has grown into a prestigious organization as the leading authority on women in the boardroom and executive suites of Georgia public companies. OnBoard advocates for women, inspires them to take leadership, and connects them to opportunities. The organization gives out two awards annually: OnBoard Excellence Award and the Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans Award
Founding and The First Study
Measured the number of women board members and women officers in Georgia’s public companies, determining the percentage of positions held by women. The study also measured the percentage of companies with no women board members or officers
Only 1/4 of the 150 Georgia public companies tracked had women directors, accounting for only 4% of all board seats.
19937% Women
7% of Executive Officers in Georgia’s top public companies were women.
1998Advocacy Efforts Amplified
OnBoard’s advocacy efforts were significantly amplified by funding that supported the distribution of the study to every public company in Georgia. The study gained visibility (quoted in The Atlanta Journal Constitution, Atlanta Business Chronicle and The Wall Street Journal), and helped grow membership and event attendance, and most importantly, it attracted major sponsors, many of whom have supported OnBoard for over a decade.
1999Well Ahead of Its Time
OnBoard added the measurement of board seats held by women of color. A little over half of 1% of board seats were held by women of color.
2001The Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans Award
Awarded to the woman board member who has served as an outstanding role model for advancing the mission of increasing the number of women in executive leadership and on corporate boards.
200312 Charter Members Become the First Class of OnBoard Advocates
Launched in 2005, the Advocates List is comprised of industry leaders who have accepted the invitation to financially support OnBoard at a leadership level. Advocates bring their vision and passion to support the mission of OnBoard to increase the number of women in executive leadership and on corporate boards. Today, the Advocates List consists of nearly 300 members.
2005OnBoard Excellence Award
Awarded annually to three Georgia based women leaders to highlight OnBoard’s mission to increase the number of women in executive leadership.
200721 Years
The number of women directors has doubled, and the percentage of board seats held by women rose to 11.5% – representing great progress, but also illustrating how far there is to go before OnBoard’s work is done. Even as the number of executive officers decreases, the women executive officers reached 10% in 2008 and stay close to that percentage with no significant breakout – 9.8% this year. The share of board seats held by women of color has the furthest to go – yet to exceed 2%
2013Next OnBoard Created
OnBoard created Next OnBoard in 2014 to engage motivated early- and mid-career professionals as they travel the path to senior leadership and perhaps board service. OnBoard was the first group in ION to deliver such a program.
2014Women Hold 12.9%
Women hold 12.9% (123) of the 952 total board seats in Georgia’s public companies. The Power of 3 or critical mass is considered at least 3 or more women on a company’s board. There is an encouraging emerging trend indicating that companies with critical mass are increasing. In the 2016 study the companies meeting this critical mass definition at the time of the data cutoff are*: Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (4), Genuine Parts (4), The Coca-Cola Company (4), Carter’s, EarthLink Holdings, Gray Television, Halyard Health, Haverty Furniture Companies, Primerica, The Home Depot and UPS®. *(Three women unless otherwise noted.) But there is still work to be done. Men hold 87% of the board seats. There are 50 (40%) Georgia public companies that have no women on board. Women of color in Georgia lag the national stats for percentage of board seats.
2016Women Hold 19.8%
Women hold 19.8% (176) of the 889 total board seats in Georgia’s public companies. There are a record 26 Power of 3 companies with least 3 or more women on a company’s board. The fill rate is 28%, which means that 28% of the open board seats were filled by women. This leading indicator is promising for future progress. There are NO all-male boards in the Georgia Top 50 companies by revenue. United Parcel Service is leading the way with 6 women on board followed by The Coca-Cola Company at 5 women. However, Women of Color hold only 3.7% of board seats which is still an area for needed special focus. Also not increasing substantially are the women executive officers, flat at 14.4%, 15.5% and 15.6% for the last three years. With the exception of these two areas, the study years 2018 through 2020 have shown increased progress over prior years. This momentum is encouraging.
2021Measuring Progress
From its inception, OnBoard has been a pioneer in its approach to getting more women on corporate boards. The organization was the first to field a study to measure the status of women on corporate boards. Recognizing that hard numbers are more compelling than prose, OnBoard strives to make the case for a problem that needs to be addressed while creating an essential benchmark for measuring progress and proving efficacy.
Guided by the philosophy that “what gets measured gets done”, OnBoard prepared and reported results of the first study in 1993, promoting it as a progress report for Georgia public companies, as well as a yardstick for the work yet to be done. Executive officers for the purposes of the study are only those listed by the companies in their SEC filings, which includes but may not be exclusive to the “Named Executive Officers”.
OnBoard 2023 Board of Directors
Sponsor Spotlight
Our sponsors are not only valued supporters of the OnBoard mission, they help us build the OnBoard community! In this month’s sponsor spotlight, we are highlighting Cadence Bank and the Onboard members who unite us.
Long-time OnBoard Advocate and 2023 Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans Award winner Kathy Waller is a distinguished member of Cadence Bank’s Board of Directors. We are also thrilled to have Cadence Bank’s Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer Jerrell Moore as a member of our Board of Directors.
Progress towards our goal of gender equity in corporate Georgia is impossible without the support of like-minded companies and the people who make them great. Thank you Cadence Bank!
Sponsor Spotlight
OnBoard recognizes these organizations that are paving the way for women in corporate leadership.
A company with diversity, equity and inclusion ingrained in its DNA, J.M. Huber Corporation is one of the visionary Annual Sponsors who partner with OnBoard to make gender parity in corporate leadership a reality. “Respect for People” is one of Huber’s core values, guiding the company’s approach to talent, culture and community.
Thanks to Huber for all you do to pave the way for a diverse, inclusive and empowered workforce.
An Atlanta-based law firm with an international footprint, Alston & Bird is one of OnBoard’s longest-standing partners. The firm is passionate about the development and support of women. We are grateful to current board member Sarah Hess Mackenzie and past board member Sarah Ernst for representing Alston & Bird in OnBoard’s leadership.
Thank you for your generosity and steadfast commitment to equity in corporate leadership!
Become a Sponsor
Get Involved And Help Us Achieve Our Goal Today
OnBoard is a 501(c)3 designated nonprofit that provides educational programs, research and professional development opportunities. Corporations provide financial sponsorship because they see the value for their brand as well as the opportunities for professional development. Many of our sponsors also share their talented people with OnBoard through service to our board, and by connecting us with their professional networks.
Visibility for Sponsors
Annual sponsors are continuously recognized in communications across all mediums. At each of our three major events annual sponsors are highlighted.
Our audience for these events is typically 150 to 250 attendees, men and women from corporations, government agencies, academia, professional services firms, and the media as well as members of boards. The topics and speakers are consistent with OnBoard’s mission and often draw sold-out crowds.
At each major event, sponsors have:
- Invitations to the event
- Logo on the invitations, event signs and collateral materials
- Special recognition from the podium and in the printed program at the event
Education for Key People
As talented people move up in an organization, it becomes increasingly challenging to meet their development needs with exclusively internal experiences. We offer programming and networking opportunities that help your highly talented people expand their thinking as well as their professional contacts.
Annual sponsors participate in the major events as well as others not open to the public. These include presentations by authors, networking, or inclusion in private events held by other organizations with whom OnBoard is aligned.
Sponsorship Opportunities
Annual Sponsors fuel the operations that make women on boards a reality. In addition to earning the full privileges of OnBoard membership, sponsorships offer a variety of benefits, including access to women who have prepared for executive roles and visibility among OnBoard’s active, business-conscious membership base.
Benefits may be customized to suit the philanthropic priorities of each sponsor. OnBoard is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, and sponsorships are tax deductible to the extent benefits allow. Investment levels and partnership benefits are listed below:
The Champion
$15,000 Investment
- Complimentary executive search for a female board member
One space for a female executive of sponsor’s choice in a 2023 OnBoard Accelerator or Ignite cohort (includes an Advocate membership for the participant)
One additional Advocate level membership to designate to a person of sponsor’s choice
Ten OnBoard memberships (Member or Next OnBoard level) to distribute for the term of the sponsorship, including access to the Member Portal and confidential board opportunity notifications
Invitation for a company representative to participate in Get On Board! as an interviewer or a candidate
Opportunity to select a panelist or speaker for one OnBoard event (with approval from OnBoard team)
Opportunity to host OnBoard meetings or events at your company’s corporate office
Recognition as an Annual Sponsor at each major event (at least three per year)
Special recognition by the host during the events
Four invitations to in-person events
Unlimited invitations to virtual events
Logo inclusion on e-invitations, event programs and slides, and other collateral materials
Discounted rate for Presenting Sponsorship of any event throughout the year (recognized at a higher tier than Annual Sponsor group)
Logo listing on home page sponsor banner on OnBoard website
Special recognition in rotating Sponsor Spotlight on website and LinkedIn
The Trailblazer
$11,000 Investment
- One space for a female executive of sponsor’s choice in a 2023 OnBoard Accelerator or Ignite cohort (includes an Advocate membership for the participant)
One additional Advocate level membership to designate to a person of sponsor’s choice
Discounted rate on an executive search for a female director to serve on sponsor’s board
Ten OnBoard memberships (Member or Next OnBoard level) to distribute for the term of the sponsorship, including access to the Member Portal and confidential board opportunity notifications
Invitation for a company representative to participate in Get On Board! as an interviewer or a candidate
Opportunity to select a panelist or speaker for one OnBoard event (with approval from OnBoard team)
Opportunity to host OnBoard meetings or events at your company’s corporate office
Recognition as an Annual Sponsor at each major event (at least three per year)
Special recognition by the host during the events
Four invitations to in-person events
Unlimited invitations to virtual events
Logo inclusion on e-invitations, event programs and slides, and other collateral materials
Discounted rate for Presenting Sponsorship of any event throughout the year (recognized at a higher tier than Annual Sponsor group)
Logo listing on home page sponsor banner on OnBoard website
Special recognition in rotating Sponsor Spotlight on website and LinkedIn
The Connector
$7,500 Investment
Ten OnBoard memberships (Member or Next OnBoard level) to designate for the term of the sponsorship, including access to the Member Portal
One Advocate membership (highest level of OnBoard membership for corporate executives)
Invitation for a company representative to participate in Get On Board! as an interviewer or a candidate
Opportunity to select a panelist or speaker for one OnBoard event (with approval from OnBoard team)
Opportunity to host OnBoard meetings or events at your company’s corporate office
Recognition as an Annual Sponsor at each major event (at least three per year)
Discounted rate for Presenting Sponsorship of any event throughout the year (recognized at a higher tier than Annual Sponsor group)
Special recognition by the host during the events
Four invitations to in-person events
Unlimited invitations to virtual events
Logo inclusion on e-invitations, event programs and slides, and other collateral materials
Logo listing on home page sponsor banner on OnBoard website
Special recognition in rotating Sponsor Spotlight on website and LinkedIn
Alternatively, organizations may opt to sponsor a single event.
Fee varies
- Logo inclusion on e-invitations, event programs and slides, and other collateral materials
- Special recognition by the host during the event
- Opportunity for company representative to make remarks during event
- Exclusive mention in social media activity promoting the event
- Recognition on the OnBoard website event page
- Opportunity to distribute branded giveaway at event
- One OnBoard membership to offer to an employee or client of your choice
- Opportunity to host OnBoard meetings at your company’s corporate office
OnBoard Events in 2023
February 28 – Web3 and Digital Assets: What’s Next, virtual event
February 28 – OnBoard Advocate Only event
March 28 – Negotiating for Your Future, spring panel luncheon
April 19 – Get On Board!
April 24 – Golf Clinic, Lunch and Optional Nine-Hole Scramble
June 07 – OnBoard Excellence Awards Breakfast
August 29 – OnBoard Advocate Only event
September 20 – Get On Board!
November 02 – Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans Award Dinner
TAX ID for OnBoard: 582104628 (501(c)3 organization)
Be An Advocate
Take Action and Advocate
Launched in 2005 with a dozen charter members, the Advocates List has grown to include nearly 300 members. OnBoard Advocates are industry leaders whose dedication and vision support the mission of OnBoard. Advocates receive invitations to intimate networking events with high-profile speakers in addition to the full benefits of OnBoard Membership.
The Advocates List
The Advocates List are individuals who have accepted the invitation to financially support OnBoard at a leadership level. Advocates support OnBoard’s mission to increase the number of women in executive leadership and on corporate boards.
Annie Adams
EVP & Chief Transformation Officer
Norfolk Southern Corporation
Kristin Rambo Adams
EVP
Aon
Peggy Allumbaugh
Retired Partner
Deloitte
Peggy Allumbaugh
Retired Partner
Deloitte
Renita Anderson
Global Marketing Director
Ingevity
Kris Anderson
Operational Leader
Jenn Andreou
Executive, Life & Leadership Coach
LUMO
Marisol Angelini
Board of Directors
Bush Brothers, American Vanguard Corp.
Lillian Ansley
Founder & Managing Partner
Kirbo + Ansley
Ann Anton
Director, Benefits & HR Services
J. M. Huber Corporation
Claire "Yum" Arnold
CEO
Leapfrog Services, Inc.
Scott Askins
Independent Director
CoastalSouth Bancshares, Inc.
Phyllis Austin
SVP Human Resources
Boys & Girls Club of America
Lillie S. Axelrod
CEO
Ag Risk Solutions, LLC
Terri Badour
Executive Director
American Red Cross Metropolitan Atlanta
Cindy Baerman
CEO
Executive Advisory Services
James Balkcom
Chairman of the Board
Espri Gas
Rachel Barnett
Chief Legal Officer
IEX Trading
Chloe Barzey
Senior Managing Director
Accenture
Madeleine Batson
Director of Tax
Aprio Wealth LLP
Victoria Beck
CFO
IMS
Susan Bell
Retired Partner
EY
Karen Bennett
EVP and Chief People Officer
Cox Enterprises
Tim Bentsen
Board of Directors
Synovus Financial Corp.
Vignette Berkeley
Director, Strategy Advancement
Humana
Myra Bierria
VP, Corporate Secretary
Southern Company
Alicen Blair
Executive Search
Korn Ferry
Becky Blalock
Board Director
Aspen Aerogels
Edwina Blanchard
Assistant VP Corporate Technology Services
Cox Enterprises
Michele Blondheim
Director, Corporate Citizenship & Executive Director, Aprio Foundation
Aprio
Karstin Bodell
VP of General Marketing, Retired
IBM
Susan Boehlke
CEO
TAB Ventures
Christopher Borowski
PERC Associate
Aprio
L. Celeste Bottorff
VP, Global Health & Wellbeing Initiatives, Retired
The Coca-Cola Company
Holly Boudreau
SVP, GLobal Tax
Crawford & Company
Denise Boyd
Partner
Grant Thornton LLP
Wayne Bradley
Partner
Troutman Pepper
Rosalind Brewer
CEO
Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc.
Manon Brochu
COO
GasSouth
Kelly Brock
VP, International Marketing
UPS
Angela Brown
Tax Director
AJ Capital
Caroline M. Brown
SVP, Content Operations & Origination
Warner Bros. Discovery
Lisa Brown
Partner & Wealth Advisor
Brightworth Private Wealth
Leanne Bryant
Human Resources Consultant
Grady Health System
Elizabeth Burdette
Director of Client Engagement for SignatureGENEROSITY
SignatureFD
Miriam Burgess
Partner, Enterprise Client Leader
Aon
Chris Byrne
President, Marketing Operations & Digital Accleration
UPS
Elizabeth W. "Betsy" Camp
Board of Directors
Genuine Parts Company, Intelligent Systems Corp., Synovus
Jill Campbell
Retired President
Teresa Caro
Chief Liminist
Liminist
Sue Carpenter
VP, Corporate Giving & Major Donors
Visiting Nurse Health System
Lillian Caudle
Associate General Counsel
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
Tapaswee Chandele
Global VP of Talent & Development
The Coca-Cola Company
Elizabeth Chandler
VP & General Counsel
Rollins, Inc.
Anastasia Chapek
VP of Sales Strategy and Revenue Operations
NCR Corporation
Julie Chatman
Associate Partner and Cyber Expert
McKinsey & Co.
Cecelia Cheeks
Founder & Principal
Cecintel Public Relations
Andrea Clark
Senior Corporate Counsel
Delta
Tosha Clay
SVP, Investment Management
Sila Realty Trust
Trisha Clements
VP, IT Transformation
Republic National Distributing Company
Elizabeth Clubb
Founder & CEO
myFloc
Caroline Cochran
Chief People Officer
QGenda
Mel Coker
President & CEO
M Coker Consulting, LLC
Amy Comeau
VP Marketing
Emory Healthcare
Tyler Cook
VP of Finance & Business Transformation
Georgia Power Company
LeighAnn Costley
Partner
Frazier & Deeter, LLC
Abby Cox
VP, Business Development
WellSky
Molly Croft
Consultant
Retired
Karen Robinson Cope
Board of Directors
Accscient, Look Listen, Simpliworks
Audra Cunningham
EVP & Chief Administrative Office
T. Dallas Smith & Company
Leslie Curl
SVP
The Elliot Group
Kimberlyn Daniel
Chief People & DEI Officer, Managing Principal
IA Interior Architects
Dr. Loretta Daniels, CDP
CEO, Managing Partner
Kendall & Kendrick Consulting Group
Jennifer Davis
CMO
Well Made Decisions
Nicole Davis
Director, Talent Acquisition
Aprio
Dorothy Davis
President & CEO
Visiting Nurse Health System
Kate Deagan
Senior Business Analyst
Aprio, LLP
Naina Desai
Group Director, Revenue Growth & Business Intelligence
Arca Continental Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages
Aaron deSouza
Co-Founder & CEO
Guided101, LLC
Sahana Dharmapuri
Director
One Earth Future Foundation
Lejla Dickson
Director, Growth & Strategy
KPMG LLP
Kelly Dolan
President & CEO, Retired
Global Ronald McDonald House Charities
Tracy Doucet
Senior Director, Global COVID-19 Crisis Leader
Kimberly-Clark
Roxanne Douglas
Owner
R Douglas Law Firm LLC
Sloan Drake
EVP, CHRO
Georgia Power Company and Southern Company
Dan Dubay
Partner, Director of SignatureEXEC
SignatureFD
Ceree Eberly
Board of Directors
Qualfon, LLC
Renee Eddy
VP, Innovation
Rinnai America Corporation
Jill Edgecombe
President, Founder
Aesthetic Edge, LLC
Charmaine Edmonds
Senior Account Executive
Aon
Stephanie Ellenberg
Associate VP, Retired
AT&T
Connie Engel
Partner
Childress Klein
Sarah Ernst
Partner
Alston & Bird LLP
Kimberly Evans
CEO
Relations Research
Reade Fahs
CEO
National Vision, Inc.
Pat Falotico
VP, Client Development
Pathbuilders
Amy Feng
Head of Investor Relations
Shopify
Denise Fisher
Board President
St. Vincent De Paul Georgia
Mary Ford
CMO
CENTEGIX
Susan Avery Ford
Commercial Banking
Middle Market Banking
Heather Fortner
CEO
SignatureFD
Mary Francia
Partner
H. I. Executive Consulting
Lee Friedman
SVP, Wealth Management
UBS Financial Services Inc.
Kate Frost
Director, Legal Business Solutions
PwC
Susan Gambardella
President, North America
Kimberly Clark Professional
David Gamsey
CFO & EVP
First Advantage Corporation
Kelly Gay
Board of Directors
Acivilate, OnBoard
David Gaynes
President
Gaynes Financial Services, Inc.
Heather Generes
Julie Giacobbe
Firm Alliance Relationship Director
Aprio
Lauren Gilkenson
Wealth Management Associate
The Casey-Slade Group at Morgan Stanley
Paige Goldner
CEO
Speakeasy
Alexandra Gobbi
Chief Marketing Officer
Code42
Michaëlle Gocko
Leadership Advisory - Development & Search
Egon Zehnder International
Lisa Y. Gordon
COO
City of Atlanta Mayor's Office
Karen Grant
SVP, Partnerships
Bark Bark
Patrice Graves
Chief People Officer
Point B
Heike Greenspon
EVP East Coast Operations
Knight Commercial
Deborah Schwartz Griffin
Founder & CEO
Creative Connector, LLC
Leigh Ann Groome
Principal
Waymo / Google
Stacie Hagan
Chief People Officer, Retired
Secureworks
Michelle Hairston
CHRO
Former PulteGroup
Donna Hall
Publisher, The Atlanta Journal Constitution
Cox Enterprises
Lani Hall
Director, Organizational Development & Global DEI
J.M. Huber Corporation
Nancy Halwig
SVP, Retired
PNC
Nozi Hamidi
Founding Partner
CMO Syndicate
Maddie Hamill
COO
The Hamill Network
Crystal Hanlon
Division President
The Home Depot
Yushin Hawig
VP, Applications Engineering
Southwire Company
Jordan Haywood
Communications Director
Aprio
Jessica Hegarty
VP, Product Development & Strategy
PLANTSTRONG Foods
Virginia Hepner
Board of Directors
Cadence Bank, National Vision, Oxford Industries
Ashley Herd
Founder
Manager Method LLC
Jo Ann Herold
CMO & Founder
Herold Growth Consulting
Deb Hetrick
SVP, Operations
ABM Industries
Sheila Hicks
SVP, Residential Sales
Cox Enterprises
JonVieve Hill
Attorney
Fisher Phillips
Josh Hirsh
Executive Managing Director
JLL
Susan Hitchcock
Advisory Board
Turknett Leadership Group
Evelyn Hoff
Executive Director, Retired
Fabrefaction Theatre Company
Brenda Hofmann
Chief of Staff to Chief Platform Services Officer
The Coca-Cola Company
Erica Hoholick
CEO
22Squared
Michelle Horn
SVP & Chief Strategy Officer
Delta Air Lines
Julia A. Houston
Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer
Equifax
Roz Huang
Founder & CEO
Dandelion Global Group
Charles Huddleston
Of Counsel
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP
Patti Humble
Chief Accounting Officer
UPS
Julie Hunter-Anderson
Attorney
Martenson, Hasbrouck & Simon LLP
Cheri Husney
Chief Marketing & Business Development Officer
Aprio
Juliana Iarossi
Clinical Assistant Professor / Founder
University of South Carolina / Coalesce Capital, LLC
Charlie Ingram
EVP, Strategic Development
Continuum HR
Joanna Irwin
CMO
Randstad
Michelle Jackson
SVP & Private Wealth Advisor
Capital Group
Anita Johnson
Chief of Surgery
Cancer Treatment Centers Of America
Ayana Johnson
Helaina Jolly
Sr. Broker Relationship Leader
Munich Re Specialty Insurance
Trish Jones
CEO
Act 3 Ventures, Inc
Jane Karwoski
Chief Growth Officer
Corps Team
Jeanne Keane
GreenLake Hybrid Cloud Practice Portfolio Strategy Leader
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Trish Kellogg
Director
Beacon Hill Staffing Group
Anjuli Kelotra
Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer
The Coca-Cola Company
Sloan Kennedy Smith
VP of Distribution, Retired
Dawn Killenberg
Executive Director
Agnes Scott College
Cheryl King
CFO
St. Vincent de Paul Georgia
Linda Klein
Senior Managing Shareholder
Baker Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC
Joel Koblentz
Founding Partner
The Koblentz Group
Sue Kolloru
Chief Strategy & Corporate Development Officer
Pearson PLC
Barrett Coker Krise
Partner
Bell Oaks Executive Search
Alison LaBruyere
Of Counsel
Squire Patton Boggs
Lisa LaFave
President, US Sales, Retired
UPS
Anita Lamb
President & Co-Founder
Esco Eats
Beatriz Landa
Director of Strategy
Novelis
Gwendolyn Larkin
VP, Tax Operations
Aprio
Amy Lazarus
COO
Pulmera
F. David Leiter Jr.
Managing Partner - Atlanta MidSouth Hub Leader
KPMG LLP
Mei Leng
Director, Internal Audit
Crawford & Company
Claudia Lestapis
VP & General Counsel of CP Kelco
J.M. Huber Corporation
Kate Leverone
Partner, Transaction Services
Forvis, LLP
Stacy Lewis
Partner & Private Wealth Manager
Creative Planning
Helene Lollis
CEO
Pathbuilders
Kathy Loveless
VP, Controller
The Coca-Cola Company
Annis Lyles
VP, Marketing Communications, Retired
The Coca-Cola Company
Sarah Hess Mackenzie
Partner
Alston & Bird LLP
Dan Mallory
Strategic Technology Consultant
Aprio
Kate Mandrell
EVP, Commercial & Strategic Operations
NCR Corporation
Jane Mandula
Board of Directors
Mazzetti
Jennifer Manning
Associate General Counsel, Strategic Transactions & New Ventures Corporate Secretary
The Coca-Cola Company
Alexa Markov
Senior Manager of Financial Planning & Analysis
Aprio
Nataly Marks
Partner
KPMG LLP
Stephanie Martin
CFO
Georgia Chamber of Commerce
Jennifer Aspen Mason
SVP, Global Innovation
CP Kelco
Crystal Mathis
CMO, Partner
SignatureFD
Crystal Matthews
Assistant VP
Aon
Joyce Mazero
Chair, Global Franchise & Supply Network Practice
Polsinelli
Dawnita McCain
Managing Director
Regions Bank
Tina McCain
SVP, Client Partnerships
Zeta Global
Kathryn McConnell
Shareholder
Littler Mendelson
Mary McCoy
Partner
McCoy Advisory LLC
Amy McCullough
CFO
Fulcrum Equity Partners
Myra McElhaney
Owner
McElhaney & Associates, LLC
Carol Messer
EVP, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary
J. M. Huber Corporation
Rebecca Messina
Senior Advisor
McKinsey & Co.
Natalia Migal
Chief Risk Officer
DLL
Heather Milam
VP, Technology (Global)
Travelport
Nichole Miles-Sullivan
VP, Operations
Atlanta Gas Light
Dori Miller
Principal
Collective Insights
Heather Miller
VP, Digital Transformation Office
WestRock
Keith Ivory Millner
Managing Partner
Coaching Catalyst
Mindy Millward
Co-Founder & Managing Partner
Navalent
Jennifer Mirgorod
Owner & Executive Coach
Crest Consulting LLC
Hala Moddelmog
President & CEO
Woodruff Arts Center
Michelle Montgomery
CMO
Crawford & Company
Erika Moore
Chief Officer Travel Supply
TravelX
Jerrell Moore
EVP, Chief Diversity Officer
Cadence
Meredith Moore
Founder & CFO
Artisan Financial Strategies
T. Robin Moore
Global VP, Next Generation Services
The Coca-Cola Company
Tracy Moore
Co-President
Georgians United
Sandra Morelli
SVP, Regional Director
Capital Group Private Client Services
Chaly Jo Moyen
Chief Strategy Officer
Woodard & Curran
Diana Murphy
Executive Coach
Diana Murphy Coaching, LLC
Janine Musholt
President
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Foundation
Hilda Mwangi
Chief Financial Officer
HAZ Advisors LLC
Nithya Narasimhan
SVP, Client Relationships
Oracle
Grace Nelson
CEO
Magenta
Susan Nethero
Managing Director, Founding Member & Co-Chair of Atlanta Chapter
GoldenSeeds ATL
Joan Netzel
CEO
Joan Netzel Consulting
Sharon Noble
VP, Global Human Resources
Huber Engineered Materials
Ann-Marie Notaro
Partner
Troutman Pepper
Susan O'Farrell
Board of Directors
Leslie’s Inc., ATW
Kinsee Owens
Director, Human Resources - Corporate
Genuine Parts Company
Ashley Page
SVP, Deputy General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer
Endeavor
Michelle Page-Rivera
Managing Director
Slalom
Elba Pareja-Gallagher
Founder
ShowMe50
Christy Parrish
SVP, Marketing
UPS
Stefanie Paulos
Assistant VP, Retired
The Coca-Cola Company
Edwina Payne
Board of Directors
Federal Home Loan Bank Of Atlanta
Laura Pease
SVP & Private Client Advisor
Bank of America Private Bank
Anne Peck
VP, Office of the CIO
State Street Corporation
Thomas Pennella
Co-founder
Penhalt Advisory Group, LLC
Ryanne Pennington
Managing Director
JLL
Alaina Percival
CEO
Women Who Code
Katelyn Perna
Head of Security, Digital Assets and Information
Bank of New York Mellon
Rachel Perry
Chief Innovation Officer, Commercial Risk North America
Aon
Jennifer Personette
VP, Marketing
NCR Corporation
Jannquell Peters
Director of Community Affairs
King & Spalding
Donna Peters
Founder
The Me-Suite, LLC
Tammira Philippe
President & CEO
Bridgeway Capital Management
Amy Pollino
VP of Finance
Smith + Howard
Tunisia Poole
SVP, Deputy General Counsel
Southwire Company
Joanna Price
Chief Corporate Affairs Officer
Heineken
Cheney Pridgen
Product Owner
Aprio
Lily Prost
EVP & CHRO
J.M. Huber Corporation
Anne Quiello
Senior Consultant
Turknett Leadership Group
Dawn Randolph
CFO
Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network
Brenda Rarick
VP, Global Strategy
Crawford & Company
Stephanie Rauls
SVP, Deputy CFO & CAO
Novelis
Amy Reeves
Client Relationship Executive
Grant Thornton
DeRetta Rhodes, PhD
EVP & Chief Culture Officer
Atlanta Braves
Karen Rice
Senior Underwriting Specialist
PMA Insurance
Erin Mitchell Richeson
VP, Inclusions & Diversity
Cox Enterprises
Amy Richter
Leadership Advisor & Coach
ThinqShift
Lisa Roberts
Law VP and Chief Counsel, Payments & Network
NCR Corporation
Janice Robinson
Executive Director, United Way VIP
United Way of Greater Atlanta
Lisa Robinson
CEO
OnBoard
Marc Rosenkoetter
Partner-in-Charge, Advisory Services
Aprio
Theresa Royster
Client Relations Director
Relations Research
Carrie Russell
VP & General Counsel, HEM
J. M. huber Corporation
Suzanne Russo
Assistant General Counsel
The Home Depot
Melissa Rutten
Director
Pathstone
Jane Salter
CFO & Audit Partner, Retired
DukeNet Communications
Emily Sanders
VP
Goldman Sachs
Sarah Saunders
Partner
Forvis LLP
Michael Schall
President
Pod Foods
Julie Schertell
CEO
Mativ
Jana Schmidt
President
Quisitive Global Payment Solutions
Maureen Schumacher
EVP & CMO
Global Payments
Marc Schwarz
CEO
Advising Capital
Anne Sciarrone
Owner & Architect
H. Anne Blakely Sciarrone Architecture, LLC
Christie Segura
Senior Director of Strategy
The Coca-Cola Company
Julie Seitz
Principal and Managing Director
Gensler
Christine Senn
Chief Integration Officer
Centricity Research
Sabrina Serafin
Partner, Retired
Frazier & Deeter, LLC
Ruchi Shah
VP Marketing Strategy
UPS
Sophia Shoate
President, US Sales
UPS
Irma Shrivastava
Founder & Principal
R2 Strategic Solutions
Mari Sifo
Managing Partner
TMC
Wanda Silva
President
Silva Capital Solutions, Inc.
Sheree Slaughter
Executive Administrator
OnBoard
Adair Sloan
Account Executive
Microsoft
Nia Smith
Executive Coach & DEI
Salesforce
Carla Smith
Region SCP & Executive Director, Metro Atlanta
American Heart Association
Sudanese Spence
Senior Director, PMO and Agile CoE
Southern Company
Christine St. Clare
Founder & President
St. Clare Advisors, LLC
Lynn Staner
Audit Partner
Deloitte & Touche LLP
Alyssa Steele
Chief Commercial Officer
Rugs USA
Carolyn Stefanco
CEO
Baret Leadership Consulting
Claire Sterk
President Emerita
Emory University
Maureen Sutton
Principal
Korn Ferry
Stacy Sutton
VP of Growth
Georgia Oak Partners
Mickey Swortzel
Board Observer
New Eagle
Bentina Terry
SVP, Customer Strategy & Solutions
Georgia Power Company
Josie Thomas
EVP, CDIO, Retired
CBS Corporation / CBSViacom
Wendy Thomas
CEO
Secureworks
Brandi Thomas
VP, Chief Audit Executive & Chief Diversity Officer
General Electric
Angela Thomas-Anderson
Kids2
Christina Thompson
Learning & Development Training Manager
Aprio
Lisa Tilt
CEO
Full Tilt Consulting
Annette Tirabasso
CEO & Founder
Tirabasso Transformation Group
Angela Tolliver
Director, Global Services
Johnson & Johnson
Carol Tomé
CEO
UPS
Tamira Treffers-Herrera
Vice Chairperson and Co-Head Wholesale North America Client Coverage
Rabobank
Terry Trout
SVP, Marketing
Liquid Web
Patty Knap Tucker
Founder & Senior Strategist
Treehouse Counsel
Rachel Tullos
SVP, Chief Audit Executive
Crawford & Company
Lori Turbe
Professional Standards Partner
Grant Thornton
Lyn Turknett
Co-founder
Turknett Leadership Group
Kim Turner
CEO & President
Turner Consulting
Leslie M. Turner
General Counsel, Retired
The Hershey Company
Karen Viera
SVP, Global Chief People Officer
Church's Texas Chicken
Lea Volpe
Director, Global Corporate Communications & Community Relations
J.M. Huber Corporation
Kathy Waller
Executive Director, The Atlanta Committee for Progress
Board of Directors, Beyond Meat, Cadence Bank, CGI, Delta Air Lines
Lauren Walls
Account Executive, Practice Leader
Aon
Marti Walsh
VP, Marketing
NAPA Auto Parts
Kala Walton
Senior Tax Manager
Aprio
Elizabeth Ward
CMO
United Way of Greater Atlanta
Terri Warren
Senior Operations Associate
Aprio
Rona L. Wells
President
Wells Holdings
Keyaan Williams
Managing Director
Cyber Leadership and Strategy Solutions, LLC
Blake Williams
Partner
SignatureFD
Cristel Williams
VP, Director of Client & Community Relations
PNC
Tammie Williams
SVP, Global Content Finance
Warner Bros. Discovery
Alicia Wilson
VP, Internal Audit & Chief Audit Officer
Southwire Company
Catina Wilson
Head of Strategic Growth & Operations Enablement
Optum
Phoebe Wood
Principal
CompaniesWood
Christy Wright
SVP, Corporate Finance
Southwire Company
Robin Yacovetta CFP
Senior Financial Consultant
Manning & Napier
Marija Zivanovic-Smith
Chief Marketing & Communications Officer
IEX Trading
Celebrating 30 Years
To commemorate three decades of advocating for women in executive leadership, OnBoard will be highlighting news articles and studies from our archives. We will also share “30th Anniversary Stories” from some of OnBoard’s leaders throughout the years.
President, Wells Holdings
Rona Wells
Rona Wells has served OnBoard as a past president (2003), a charter advocate, and the Executive Director from 2004 – 2020. In honor of her retirement from our board of directors, OnBoard recognizes the impact of Rona’s countless contributions to this organisation. Here Rona shares her perspective as a long-time leader and champion of OnBoard’s mission.
Rona Wells is the President of Wells Holdings, which provides angel investments, consulting and fee-based services to companies, entrepreneurs and officers of Fortune 500 companies. After earning a degree in Engineering from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX, Rona began her career working for the Bell System, followed by CNA Insurance. Before her retirement, Rona was a vice-president and corporate officer of Kimberly-Clarke, where she managed $300 million P&Ls, including pulp manufacturing plants and a B2B marketing oriented industrial wiper business.
Of Rona’s background in manufacturing, Charter Advocate Linda Klein says, “Rona was a trailblazer in her career. An engineer by training, she was the first woman to run a plant for Kimberly Clark. She was a mentor to many women in her career and is delighted that so many of her mentees have had great success.”
Rona’s board service includes board of advisors for HolaDoctor, a Spanish-language health and wellness digital network; board of Bank of North Georgia when it was a $3.7 billion in assets, individually chartered bank, owned by Synovus; and the nonprofit board of Atlanta Chapter of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD), among other boards oriented towards entrepreneurs. During her time as OnBoard’s President Rona was one of several organizational leaders who created ION, the InterOrganization Network, to help give member organizations a national presence and share best practices for advocacy.
Rona became involved in OnBoard (then BDN) as a volunteer in 2000 after learning about the organization from Martha Ezzard’s AJC article, which highlighted the lack of gender diversity on the board of SunTrust. She describes her alignment with OnBoard as stemming from a desire to help those around her, “Its a passion of mine, seeing women in business succeed, particularly in terms of getting in the c-suite and on boards, so the mission was a natural fit in terms of my interest.”
In her initial volunteer work Rona brought her analytical skills to help produce the Annual Study. The Annual Study is OnBoard’s most compelling tool in advocating for gender equity. This is largely due to its consistency, accuracy and visibility, to which Rona has contributed countless hours of leadership, care and focus.
Since she joined the board of directors in 2001, many of OnBoard’s programs were created under Rona’s leadership. It’s these initiatives, she says, that create tangible impact and lead to greater recognition of OnBoard’s mission. “That’s really what we were focused on, raising the visibility of OnBoard through initiatives and programs, including Get On Board!, OnBoard Accelerator, a matching service for board placement, and recognizing achievements through awards such as the Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans Award.”
When asked what aspects of her service with OnBoard have been the most meaningful, Rona said “What I’ve enjoyed the most is the collaborative relationships with the people, board and membership, that the mission of OnBoard seems to naturally draw.”
Looking toward the future, Rona would like to see at least 60% of Georgia Public Companies have parity on their board by OnBoard’s 40th anniversary. She finds encouragement in recent trends: “I’m excited about the progress that has been made in the last four to five years through the acceleration of women being selected for board service.”

“What I’ve enjoyed the most is the collaborative relationships with the people, board and membership, that the mission of OnBoard seems to naturally draw."
We at OnBoard are incredibly grateful to Rona for her many contributions to our organization! In celebration of her time as a member of OnBoard’s Board of Directors Rona’s close colleagues to shared these words:
“For decades, I’ve marvelled at Rona’s ability to drive OnBoard forward through sheer force of personality and capability.”
— Kelly Gay
“Rona’s indefatigable dedication to the OnBoard mission made our success possible. Rona used her contacts and her strategic planning to assure we had great programs with great attendance. Knowing that our #1 deliverable is our study, Rona spent years confirming every detail in every study was perfect. In 30 years there is no one who has given more, tried harder, or was as dedicated to OnBoard as Rona.”
— Linda Klein
“I believe I speak for all of the women executives and board members in Georgia when I express my incredible gratitude for Rona’s commitment to OnBoard and its impact on all of us.”
— Sarah Ernst
“Rona, we are making amazing progress today with OnBoard, Inc. and much of our success started with YOU! You truly are a special human and have influenced so many careers and lives in positive ways. Your leadership, stamina and authentic dedication in support of women is applauded and recognized.”
— Cheri Husney
CEO, Leapfrog Services, Inc.
Claire "Yum" Arnold
Yum Arnold, 2004 recipient of the Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans Award, charter Advocate and long-time supporter, shares her perspective as an early for-profit board member.
After starting her career at Coca-Cola USA, Yum acquired a small distribution company and in 15 years grew it into one of the top five private companies in Georgia. Then, in 1998, she co-founded Leapfrog Services, where she remains its CEO.
Throughout her career, Yum has been an active non-profit board member and supporter, as well as a recipient of countless awards for her contributions, some of which include being named the 2002 Entrepreneur of the Year by the Metropolitan Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and being inducted into the 2006 YWCA Academy of Women. She was also named the 2014 Most Admired CEO in the Technology Sector, and the 2017 Women Who Mean Business Honoree by The Atlanta Business Chronicle.
Yum’s extensive not-for-profit work spans the arts, education and the environment. She serves on the Board of Trustees of EARTH University Foundation, Spelman College; on the Governing Board of The Woodruff Arts Center; chairs the board of Achieve Atlanta; and is Deputy Chair of The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. She is also a past Chair of the Board of The Georgia Conservancy, The Carter Center Board of Councilors and her alma mater, Mary Baldwin College.
Yum has served on a total of six NYSE–listed firms. Her entrepreneurial experience, strategic viewpoint and practical business knowledge were the reasons she was named to her first for-profit board position in 1993, and over time, her network helped her gain new seats. During different terms she served as Lead Director as well as Head of Governance, and on Compensation and Audit committees.
Yum’s advice to new female board members is: “Don’t be afraid to speak up, but also make sure that your voice is heard. One of the benefits of having multiple women on a board is they can reinforce each other’s contributions. Before you accept a board role, it is a good idea to interview all the other sitting board members. And make sure the business aligns with something you are passionate about.”
Yum continues to make her own education a priority by regularly attending Harvard Business School Intensive courses. She says her early upbringing in Southern Virginia with three brothers and a father who taught her to chart stock prices at a young age gave her a great foundation for a male-dominated business world.
When asked what OnBoard’s goals should be for its 40th anniversary, Yum says she would like to see all Georgia boards have at least three women in their board rooms, with a strong recognition of the value they bring to those positions.
We at OnBoard are incredibly grateful to Yum for her contributions to our organization!

"Don’t be afraid to speak up, but also make sure that your voice is heard. One of the benefits of having multiple women on a board is they can reinforce each other’s contributions."
Chair
Rachel Perry
OnBoard Chair Rachel Perry shares her perspective on the strong alignment between the organization’s mission and her goals. Rachel is North America Chief Innovation Officer of Aon, where she brings more than 25 years of experience in the commercial risk insurance industry to her role. Her goal is to become an executive on a for-profit board and to passionately support increasing the number of women earning board seats, particularly women of color. Rachel embodies the next chapter of the long-standing support Aon has provided for OnBoard.
“OnBoard has drawn great speakers to share their experiences throughout my more than five-year tenure on our board,” Rachel recalls. “An unforgettable speaker lineup occurred during an Atlanta mayoral election season where three women candidates shared authentic, engaging discussions on one stage. This moment solidified for me that OnBoard’s influence creates compelling conversations that matter.”
Rachel outlines the value of participating in OnBoard to include accountability, networking and programmatic resources: accountability to each other, the mission and the Georgia companies tracked in the Annual Study; networking across industries, companies and profession to enhance the learning environment; and programs and events to help members understand the many aspects of serving on for-profit boards.
When asked what OnBoard’s goals should be for its 40th anniversary, Rachel says she would like to see women represent 30–50% of all for-profit boards, with significant growth in women of color.
“Ideally, board diversity will become the norm, and OnBoard can continue to evolve to support the next challenge,” she says. “We owe such gratitude to the women who founded OnBoard in 1993 and the charter Advocates who accelerated our progress.”
We at OnBoard are incredibly grateful to Rachel for her contributions to our organization!

"Ideally, board diversity will become the norm, and OnBoard can continue to evolve to support the next challenge"
Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC
Linda Klein
Linda Klein, a dedicated volunteer and one of twelve Charter OnBoard Advocates, who was our 2001 president and continues to serve as a long-standing board member, shares some memories from her early years with OnBoard:
In the late 1990’s OnBoard began to engage with the downtown Atlanta business community. At that time, SunTrust Bank (now Truist) was the largest public company without a woman on its board of directors.
Each year, companies lacking women on their boards received a letter from OnBoard (then called Board of Directors Network, or “BDN”), but rarely was any action taken. A breakthrough came when Martha Ezzard wrote an article for the cover of the AJC’s Sunday Business section featuring SunTrust’s all-male board. Ezzard interviewed shareholders attending the company’s annual meeting and many expressed concern about the board’s lack of diversity. Phones rang around town as board chairs worried the spotlight could be turned on them next.
SunTrust soon named a woman from Nashville to its board: Patricia C. Frist, who served on the bank’s board until 2010. This was a watershed moment for OnBoard, both in its progress toward fulfilling its mission and the attention drawn to the issue thanks to the AJC article.
The year 2001 was another milestone year for OnBoard, as it marked the first-ever program focusing on Women of Color in corporate leadership. This event sold out quickly and featured four African American women who were true trailblazers in their own careers: Alexis Scott as moderator and Johnnetta Cole, Joia Johnson and Glenda Hachett.
When asked about her dedication and commitment to OnBoard, Linda replied “I am so proud that OnBoard has made a difference in making Georgia companies more inclusive. This benefits everyone.”
We at OnBoard are incredibly grateful to Linda for her dedication and ongoing contributions to our organization and its empowering mission.

“I am so proud that OnBoard has made a difference in making Georgia companies more inclusive. This benefits everyone.”
Chair of the Board, Agnes Scott college
Elizabeth Noe
Elizabeth Noe, OnBoard’s president in 2005 and 2006, board member and one of the twelve Charter OnBoard Advocates, shares her perspective on the journey of Board of Directors Network (BDN) and OnBoard. Elizabeth has a long history of working with organizations focused on developing women, such as the Atlanta Women’s Foundation, the International Women’s Forum and of course, BDN. Retired from a legal career that often included working with clients in the boardroom, she now has the freedom to serve on boards and currently serves as chair of the board for Agnes Scott College and is on the board at LXP Industrial Trust (NYSE: LXP).
During Elizabeth’s presidency, the BDN board was seeking ways to enhance the organization’s impact and generate additional revenue. As part of these efforts, Elizabeth presided over the rollout of the Advocates List program, designed to enable BDN members to show more vocal and financial support for the mission. BDN also brought its director search offering to market, providing assistance to local companies with their board searches to supplement the work of search firms and other informal efforts.
“During this time, it felt like we were moving the numbers at a glacial pace, if at all,” Elizabeth recalls. “One of our conscious decisions was to celebrate and praise the companies that were doing well with board gender diversity – companies like Coca-Cola, UPS and Georgia Pacific – as opposed to taking a more adversarial stance.” This was also when BDN joined the national consortium – ION – to share ideas on how to further the mission.
Elizabeth says she deeply valued the programs that BDN delivered, as well as being able to learn from the experiences of others and build her network. She believes some of the most important skills for the board room are “taking the obligation seriously, having the soft skills to get along and the substantive skills to add to the conversation, and maybe most importantly, the skills to effectively deal with conflict.”
Looking forward, Elizabeth says she would like to see OnBoard continue its focus on the C-suite, one of the primary pipelines of board candidates, and bring along new members. One additional approach would be to “shine a light” on the industries that have not made as much progress with boardroom diversity and have the most opportunities to grow.
We at OnBoard are incredibly grateful to Elizabeth for her contributions to our organization and its empowering mission!

“One of our conscious decisions was to celebrate and praise the companies that were doing well with board gender diversity – companies like Coca-Cola, UPS and Georgia Pacific – as opposed to taking a more adversarial stance.”
Senior VP of Talent Management and Chief Diversity Officer, Global Payments Inc.
Jackie Parker
Jackie Parker, OnBoard’s president in 2014 and 2015, shares her perspective on the key initiatives that were launched during her term.
After starting her career in sales and marketing, Jackie moved into a series of high-profile corporate roles championing diversity and supporting not-for-profit initiatives. She has served on many local and global non-for-profit boards and has worked on corporate foundations. Today, she is the Senior Vice President of Talent Management and Chief Diversity Officer for Global Payments, Inc. Jackie’s love of strategic work and her governance background has served OnBoard and many other organizations incredibly well.
During Jackie’s presidency at OnBoard, the board launched two very innovative initiatives. First was a new aligned organization, Next OnBoard. There was a real need to support the segment of high-potential women early in their careers with specific programming and networking opportunities. The OnBoard board advised a talented team of young women which did the work to build out the charter and launch the organization. Today, Next OnBoard boasts a robust leadership team and program calendar and remains tightly aligned with OnBoard.
“The Get On Board! program was created and launched as the number of women being named to boards was continuing to feel stuck,” Jackie recalls. “This was among the early events designed to introduce CEOs and board decision-makers to the ‘board-ready’ women of OnBoard. It was a ‘hot ticket’ when launched and continues to be a highly sought-after invitation.”
Jackie says she deeply valued the passion and commitment of the OnBoard board, and greatly appreciated the men who were serving on the board, as well.
Looking forward for the next 10 years, she says she would like to see OnBoard continue to refine its diversity metrics around for-profit boards and develop a self-assessment on its membership.
We at OnBoard are incredibly grateful to Jackie for her contributions to our organization and its empowering mission!

“[Get On Board!] was among the early events designed to introduce CEOs and board decision-makers to the ‘board-ready’ women of OnBoard. It was a ‘hot ticket’ when launched and continues to be a highly sought-after invitation.”
Assistant VP, Retired
Stefanie Paulos
A dedicated board officer (Treasurer) and advocate of OnBoard since 2004, shares her perspective on the journey of Board of Directors Network (BDN) and OnBoard.
“One of the hallmarks of the organization was recognizing the very accomplished women, true trailblazers, at the annual awards event. These women have made their mark in business and have supported many others along the way. Carol Tomé, the 2009 recipient of the Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans Award, is one great example.”
When asked about the value OnBoard brings, Stefanie lists “the great educational programs delivered by board members that share their experiences about getting named to a board as well as real life as a sitting board member.” She adds that expanding networks into new organizations, professions and industries is another advantage.
Looking forward, Stefanie says she would like to see OnBoard attain more visibility and be recognized more broadly among C-level executives and board members in the Georgia business community – and the Southeast – as the essential source and thought leader regarding women on boards and in executive leadership.
We at OnBoard are incredibly grateful to Stefanie for her dedication and ongoing contributions to our organization and its empowering mission!

"Moving from Board of Directors Network to OnBoard Inc. really crystallized the mission and became the platform for communications and broader awareness in the business community. ‘Inspire, Advocate and Connect’ has been the driving strategy and message."
Annual Study Research Volunteer
Mary Madden
Long time OnBoard volunteer, advocate and integral member of the Annual Study team, Mary Madden, shares her perspective as an early for-profit board member.
In 1980, Mary was named to her first board position with Information America Inc., and in 1994, she was able to have a second woman named to that board. This was just the beginning of her work to help women earn board seats. Mary was later named to the SYNAVANT Inc. board, served as Chairman and Executive Director of the Atlanta office of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD), and in 2005, co-founded the Atlanta Chapter of Women Corporate Directors. As a speaker and advisor, Mary offered insight when there were few women to do so.
During her terms of board service, Mary says the hardest part of her role was “learning how to get to the root cause of the problem we were working on –– how to get the whole story and required insights, without offending the leaders,” as well as finding a way to motivate people to take an active role in the work at hand. She says the best part was getting to know so many interesting people. Over her 40-year career and as a three-time runner up in Inc’s Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, she blazed many trails.
While Mary has since retired from her corporate and entrepreneurial ventures, as well as her not-for-profit board roles, she remains passionate about the value that OnBoard continues to provide our members: expanding their network and programmatically delivering insights on the actions needed to gain a board seat.
We at OnBoard are incredibly grateful to Mary for her contributions to our organization!

"Parity in the board room, . . . will require ongoing educational efforts to current board members and executives on the well-documented value that women bring to for-profit boards."
30th Anniversary Partners



