Next OnBoard

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About Next OnBoard

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.

Next OnBoard provides its members with opportunities to connect with senior executive women and men interested in OnBoard’s mission, learn about board governance, and expand their professional networks. Next OnBoard advances OnBoard’s mission by identifying and engaging motivated professionals early in their development to senior leadership.

ENGAGE young professionals in OnBoard’s mission early in their careers

LEARN about board governance

CONNECT with senior professionals

BUILD a network of accomplished peers

Follow Next OnBoard on Social Media

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Next OnBoard Newsletter

Next OnBoard publishes a quarterly newsletter to give a recap of past events and teasers to upcoming ones, provide updates to its members on benefits such as the mentorship program or event discounts and encourage social media following and women on board success stories.

Sep 2022 E-News
Jan 2022 E-News
Jan 2021 E-News
Aug 2020 E-News
Apr 2020 E-News
Dec 2019 E-News
Sep 2019 E-News
May 2019 E-News

Meet the 2023 Leadership Team

Kate Allan

Governance Chair

Linkedin User
Director, Jabian Consulting

Amanda Arboleda

Membership Co-Chair

Linkedin User
Senior Consultant, EY

Andria Smith

Membership Co-Chair

Linkedin User
Sustainability Program Manager, UPS

Nikita Bansal

Marketing Chair

Linkedin User
Senior Strategy Director, Equifax

Reem Krisht

Events Chair

Linkedin User
Director - Corporate Strategy, Cox Automotive Inc.

Alexis Isom

Governence Chair Elect

Linkedin User
Management Liability Broker, Aon

Leigh Ellis Garcia

Membership Chair Elect

Linkedin User
Global HR Program Manager, Equifax

Caroline Fisher

Marketing Chair Elect

Linkedin User
Marketing Manager, Digital Access Program at UPS

Angela Hong Sones

Marketing Chair Elect

Linkedin User
Director of Strategy and Storytelling, IHG

Sheena Khawaja

Events Chair Elect

Linkedin User
Real Estate Associate, Smith, Gambrell & Russell

Interested in joining the Next OnBoard Leadership Team? Email Kate Allan at kate_allan@outlook.com. to learn more about available positions and how you can get involved.

Next OnBoard Annual Award

Next OnBoard Outstanding Member of the Year 2021 Recipients

Katie Hoppenjan (UPS), Nela Powell (Formation Capital, LLC), and Maddie Thykeson (Gratus Capital) were selected as the 2021 Next OnBoard Outstanding Members of the Year for their many contributions serving on Next’s leadership team. Katie Hoppenjans served as our Membership Chair and continuously improved the experience for new and existing members. Nela Powell served as our Governance Chair guiding the leadership team to a successful year. Maddie Thykeson served as our Marketing Chair managing social media and outreach for NOB. Thank you to these incredible women for volunteering their time to lead Next OnBoard!

Outstanding Member of the Year Award Description

This award recognizes an honorable member of Next OnBoard who exemplifies what it means to be a “Nexter”. The recipient is an early career professional who serves as an outstanding role model for advancing OnBoard’s mission to increase the number of women in executive leadership and on corporate boards in both public and private for-profit corporations.

Previous Recipients

  • 2019 – Katie Hull
  • 2018 – Anna Biegen
  • 2017 – Erin Elliott
  • 2016 – Christina Schenck
  • 2015 – Carrie Gorman
  • 2014 – Erica Svobada

Making Connections Award Description

Making connections is all about recognizing the Nexter who recruits the most Next OnBoard members to engage young professionals early in their careers as they learn about board governance, connect with senior professionals and build a network of accomplished peers.

Previous Recipients

  • 2017 – Christina Schenck
  • 2016 – Yami Joshi and Erica Svoboda
  • 2015 – Yami Joshi and Erica Svoboda
  • 2014 – Carrie Gorman

Next OnBoard Events

Upcoming Events

Check back soon for upcoming events!

22 May

Fireside Chat with Career Coach and Author, Donna Peters

a virtual event on Zoom

Date : Monday, May 22, 2023

Time : 6:00 – 7:30 PM

Members: Free (please login to register)

Guests: $15

Event Info: 

Join Next OnBoard for a virtual discussion with Donna Peters about her award-winning book, “Options are Power: Career Strategies for High Performers Who Want a Life”, a strategic guide to how high performing professionals can surround themselves with options that drive personal and professional empowerment, clarity, and focus. 

In preparation for the Book Club discussion, attendees can purchase “Options are Power: Career Strategies for High Performers Who Want a Life” in print, audio, or as an e-book. We encourage all who are interested in attending the discussion to read Ms. Peters’ book, but it is not required to benefit from the conversation!
 
Purchase the book here: Print | E-Book & Audio

Thank you to our Sponsors:

Past Events

Fireside Chat with Donna Peters

Next OnBoard presents a virtual discussion with Donna Peters about her award-winning book, “Options are Power: Career Strategies for High Performers Who Want a Life”, a strategic guide to how high performing professionals can surround themselves with options that drive personal and professional empowerment, clarity, and focus

Read More »
May 22, 2023

Fireside Chat with Donna Peters

Next OnBoard presents a virtual discussion with Donna Peters about her award-winning book, "Options are Power: Career Strategies for High Performers Who Want a Life",...

Next OnBoard’s Night of Speed Networking

04 Apr Next OnBoard’s Night of Speed Networking Location : Baker Donelson, Monarch Plaza, 3414 Peachtree Road, N.E., Suite 1500 Atlanta, GA, 3032 Date :...

Plan & Prosper with Reem Krisht

Plan & Prosper with Reem Krisht Location : Equifax Headquarters Address: 1550 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA Date : Thursday, December 8, 2022 Time :...

Next OnBoard:

Get Your Head in the Game: Undoing Your Unconscious Programming

Join Next OnBoard and Support the Mission

Next OnBoard membership is open to early and mid-career professionals who support OnBoard’s mission

Next OnBoard provides connections with senior leaders and accomplished peers. Members receive targeted education about board governance along with the opportunity to calibrate their experiences with the career paths of existing board members and senior leaders. The peer connections formed through Next OnBoard provide ongoing opportunities for professional growth, shared learning, and engagement.

NOB Membership Brochure
Join Next OnBoard

OnBoard’s mission is to increase the number of women on public and private boards in Georgia and building a pipeline for candidates ready now and in the future is important to that mission. It is never too early in a career to start building the credentials, experience, skills and networks needed to advance to senior leadership that can then lead to public and private board service.

Next OnBoard was created to engage high potential professionals early in their careers to inform and educate these young women helping them on the path to senior leadership roles and to the potential of board service in their future.

The benefits of membership are accentuated when combined with involvement as a volunteer or leader of a Next OnBoard Committee. We welcome the opportunity to help you find a niche in our organization. To get involved in a Next OnBoard Committee, please email nextonboardnow@gmail.com. We look forward to working with you to advance OnBoard’s mission.

OnBoard’s mission is to advocate for and increase the number of women in executive leadership and on corporate boards.

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Atlanta

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    • OnBoard is formerly The Board of Directors Network

OnBoard is a 501(C)3 tax exempt organization. Tax ID: 58-2104628

Kate Allan

Governance Chair-Elect

Linkedin
Senior Manager, Jabian Consulting

Kate is a Management Consultant at Jabian Consulting, a strategic management and technology consulting firm headquartered in Atlanta. In her role, Kate partners with clients on achieving business and technology transformation.

Kate completed her undergraduate education at the University of Tennessee and holds an MBA from Georgia Tech’s Scheller College of Business. Kate is a volunteer with the Citizens’ Climate Lobby and a reading mentor with Everybody Wins! Atlanta. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, travel, and reading.

Amanda Arboleda

Membership Co-Chair Elect

Linkedin
EY Consultant in the People Advisory Services Team

Amanda Arboleda is a Consultant in the People Advisory Services practice of EY in Atlanta, Georgia. During her time at the firm, she has gained a variety of experiences in organizational change management, stakeholder engagement, and communications strategy, development, and delivery. Amanda hopes to continue to empower organizations to transition through complex technology transformations and help build a better working world.

Amanda graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Economics and a Concentration in Consulting from the University of Georgia. During her time at the Terry College of Business, Amanda completed certificates in Personal & Organizational Leadership, Professionalism, and Workforce Diversity. In her free time, Amanda can likely be found watching Friends, listening to the BiggerPockets podcast, or doing puzzles.

Andria Smith

Membership Co-Chair Elect

Linkedin
Sustainability Program Manager, UPS

Andria Smith manages the Sustainability Program at UPS, a Fortune 50 company and worldwide leader in supply chain and logistics solutions. She leads efforts to identify and capture the metrics associated with UPS’s environmental, social and governance programs, ensuring transparent, accurate reporting to stakeholders.

Andria joined UPS’s Supply Chain Solutions division in the Buildings and Systems Engineering (BaSE) team after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Mercer University. She transitioned to UPS Mail Innovations as an Industrial Engineer and later moved to the Sustainability team. Presently she heads voluntary sustainability reporting, and informs executive leadership for the development of UPS’s long-term sustainability strategy.

Both inside and outside of work, Andria is passionate about mentoring and giving back to the
community. She maintains a strong presence as a leader within her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha
Sorority, Inc. and volunteers with the Greater Atlanta chapter of United Way.

Nikita Bansal

Marketing Chair-Elect

Linkedin
Senior Strategy Director, Equifax

Nikita Bansal is a Senior Strategy Director at Equifax, where she works on strategic initiatives to propel Equifax’s inorganic and organic revenue growth.

Prior to joining Equifax, Nikita worked at UPS in their e-commerce strategy team and at Deloitte and The Hackett Group in strategy and business transformation consulting. Nikita holds a BBA and an MBA from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. Nikita enjoys exploring Atlanta with her husband Rahul and their dog Milo.

Reem Krisht

Events Co-Chair Elect

Linkedin
Strategy Manager, ADP

Reem Krisht is a Strategy Manager at ADP, where she leads the ideation, planning, and implementation of strategic transformation initiatives for ADP’s Next Generation technology platform.

Before joining ADP, Reem spent over six years at KPMG working within the Management Consulting and Valuation Services practices. Reem holds a BBA and an MBA from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. She is also an Atlanta Lean In chapter leader (Buckhead/Brookhaven chapter). In her free time, Reem enjoys spending time with her husband and their goldendoodle.

Alexis Isom

Governance Chair Elect

Linkedin
Management Liability Broker, Aon

Alexis is a Management Liability Broker at Aon Risk Services in Atlanta. As a colleague of one of the largest risk consulting firms in the world, she is dedicated to advising and providing solutions that give her clients clarity and confidence to make better decisions to protect and grow their businesses. Alexis graduated from the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business with a degree in Risk Management & Insurance. During her time at UGA, she also pursued certifications in Professionalism, Workforce Diversity, and Legal Studies. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and giving back to her community as much as possible both individually and as a member of her sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.

Leigh Ellis Garcia

Membership Chair Elect

Linkedin
Global HR Program Manager, Equifax

Hailing from South GA, Leigh obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia. Leigh is employed by Equifax, a data, analytics and technology company for five years and currently serves as a Program Manager to the Global HR Operations team. As the PMO, Leigh manages global initiatives for Equifax such as end of year performance management, mandatory training, benefits open enrollment and M&A activities. Leigh coordinates volunteering opportunities for her corporate team and, in her free time, enjoys meeting weekly with a local D-Group study, planning travel, hosting events for friends and taking down her parents in pickleball. 

Caroline Fisher

Marketing Chair Elect

Linkedin
Marketing Manager, Digital Access Program at UPS

Caroline is a Product Innovation Manager supporting the Digital Access Program at UPS. In her role, she supports ideation and development of new technological capabilities to enable the program’s continued growth and global expansion. Caroline completed her undergraduate education at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and holds an MBA from Emory’s Goizueta Business School. Caroline serves on the leadership team of UPS’s women’s employee resource group, which supports development and advancement of women leaders within the company, and is an active member of the Technology Association of Georgia. In her free time, she enjoys running, gardening, and cooking

Angela Hong Sones

Marketing Co-Chair Elect

Linkedin
Director of Strategy & Narrative, Intercontinental Hotel Group (IHG)

Angela Hong Sones is a communications, public relations, and strategy professional with more than 13 years of experience. She is currently the Director of Strategy and Storytelling at Intercontinental Hotel Group (IHG) where she works on developing and communicating the strategy for the company’s Commercial and Technology unit. Prior to IHG, she spent four years as the Head of Corporate Communications at Asbury Automotive Group, a Fortune 500 automotive retail company. There, she led internal and external communications efforts reaching 15,000 employees in 15 different states. Angela has also worked at Moxie (a Publicis Groupe agency) and Morrison Healthcare (a Compass Group subsidiary) in communications roles. Prior to corporate communications, Angela spent several years as a television news reporter for Fox and ABC affiliates in Charlotte, Tulsa, Rochester, N.Y., and Dalton, Ga. Angela earned her bachelor’s degree from Emory University in Political Science and Journalism, and most recently in 2021, she completed her executive MBA from Georgia Institute of Technology’s Scheller College of Business with a focus on Global Business. Angela grew up in Duluth, Ga., and currently lives in East Cobb with her husband, daughter, cat, and dog.

Sheena Khawaja

Events Chair Elect

Linkedin
Real Estate Associate at Smith, Gambrell & Russell

Sheena Khawaja is a commercial real estate and finance attorney in Atlanta, Georgia, with a passion for service, leadership, and networking, especially for the benefit of underrepresented communities. In her role as an attorney, she advises people and businesses on the acquisition, disposition, and leasing of commercial properties and counsels institutional lenders and investors in financing matters. As an advocate for service, Sheena is active in several local and national bar associations, including as a Member-at-Large on the Board of Directors for the Atlanta Bar Association, a Member-at-Large for the Women in the Profession Section of the Atlanta Bar Association, a Past-President of the South Asian Bar Association of Georgia, and as a member of other voluntary bar organizations. In her spare time, Sheena offers mentorship for diverse law students and junior attorneys and enjoys participating in events and initiatives that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion across professions.