Shape the Future of Board Leadership

Anouk Pappers

Brand Anthropologist, Signitt

The first conversation a nominating committee has about you usually happens before you enter the room. Branding for Boards gives women the framework to shape their board narrative intentionally, ensuring that how they're perceived reflects the full depth of what they bring to board service.

David De La Rosa

Independent Board Member, FIBRA Macquarie and Terrafina

The women in Get on Board don't need convincing that they belong in the boardroom; they need the tools to make it happen. Coaching in this workshop means working with women at the top of their game, helping them articulate their value-add with the precision and confidence that board searches demand.

Jackie Seto

Board Director, Ultra Clean Technology

The Get on Board Workshop is for women who are ready for board service and know it. The work we do in this course sharpens how senior leaders translate decades of expertise into a board-ready profile and equips them with a focused, intentional approach to pursuing board opportunities.

Maureen Tarantello

SVP Executive Coaching, Challenger, Gray & Christmas

What I see in Board Fundamentals participants is clarity, often for the first time. Women arrive with ambition and leave with a plan. As a director coach, being part of that shift is deeply rewarding. The curriculum gives them the foundation; the coaching gives them the confidence to act on it.

Janet Wong

Selection Committee Member, 50 Women to Watch for Boards

The women recognized through 50 Women to Watch bring the expertise, perspective, and readiness that governance demands. This program isn't just building a pipeline; it's accelerating the pace of change in boardrooms worldwide.

Hari Panday

Selection Committee Member, 50 Women to Watch for Boards

The “50 Women to Watch” selection process is nearing completion for 2026. It is a genuinely thorough process, undertaken every year by seasoned board members. It acts as a catalyst in selecting and profiling qualified women leaders, moving them from indeterminate talent to definite excellence for a variety of boardrooms anywhere in the world — giving Nominating Committees a well-vetted resource ready to strengthen their boards with exceptional talent.

Jeff Sakaguchi

Selection Committee Member, 50 Women to Watch for Boards

Every nomination cycle reveals women whose qualifications should already have boards paying attention. 50 Women to Watch makes that happen — creating the visibility that turns exceptional careers into board opportunities.

Samantha Kappagoda

Selection Committee Member, 50 Women to Watch for Boards

The Selection Committee process is built on governance expertise — and so is every cohort we select. 50 Women to Watch gives companies confidence that the women they're considering have been rigorously evaluated by leaders who know what strong boards require.

Maureen Short

CFO Advisor, Gartner (NYSE: IT)

The 50 Women to Watch program elevated my profile at exactly the right moment in my board journey. Being part of this cohort signaled to governance leaders that I was ready, and the board opportunity that followed confirmed it.

Teresa Kong

Impax Funds US (IPX), Chair of Audit Committee, Governance Committee

Being named a 50 Women to Watch honoree opened conversations that led directly to my board service. The program connects women with the governance leaders who make board appointments, and that access is everything.

Janet Malzone

Clear Capital, Audit Committee Chair; FMG, Audit Committee Chair

The rigor of the 50 Women to Watch selection process carries weight with governance leaders. When I was named an honoree, it validated my board readiness and amplified my credentials in ways I could not have achieved alone. Equally valuable was joining an exceptional network of women directors who inspire and support one another.

Heidi Matheys

Velocity Auto Care, Board Chair

Being recognized as a 50 Women to Watch honoree expanded my professional network and connected me with and inspiring group of people in the governance community whose perspectives continue to be valuable in my role as Board Chair.

Selena Cuffe

Stanford University Bing Overseas Studies Program, Chair; Harvard Business School Women Students Association Alumnae Advisory Board, Vice Chair; Federal Reserve Bank LA Branch Board

50 Women to Watch connected me to a community that understood the value I bring to board governance. The recognition started meaningful conversations, and the leadership roles I now hold reflect what becomes possible when highly qualified women are made visible.

Dana Bober

Hilltop Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HTH), Audit Committee

The 50 Women to Watch program offers exceptional opportunities to engage with the governance community and connect with accomplished board leaders. The recognition increased my visibility and expanded my network at an important point in my board journey, complementing the experience and relationships that ultimately led to a board seat on a NYSE-listed company.

Pegi Matsuda, MA, CFRE

Onboard – Business & Community Consulting, Nonprofit Board Director

Board Fundamentals was designed for women planning for their first board seat. Every session is built around the real questions about board service: where to start, how to position yourself, and what boards actually look for. The roadmap is concrete, and the community you build here stays with you.

Michael Montelongo

Selection Committee Member, 50 Women to Watch for Boards

Outstanding female leaders have always been a vital part of the corporate world. To accelerate their advancement to the boardroom, the 50 Women to Watch program acts as a bridge, introducing highly qualified executives to key decision-makers. This targeted networking is how strong executive pipelines translate into meaningful board appointments.

JoAnne Butler

Selection Committee Member, 50 Women to Watch for Boards

The 50 Women to Watch program elevates women who are ready to lead now. As a Selection Committee member, I've seen firsthand the caliber of candidates this campaign produces. These are women boards should already know.

Angeli Chawla

Executive Director, GlobalWIN

At GlobalWIN, we build networks that advance women across innovation-driven fields. Partnering with 50/50 Women on Boards extended that mission to the boardroom — connecting our community with an organization whose rigor, research, and reach are unmatched in corporate governance.

Michael Fracarro

Former Chief People Officer, Mastercard

We've made progress to be proud of, but our work continues. Achieving equal access to opportunity requires ongoing action. We must keep fostering inclusion across all levels of leadership.

Bunita Sawhney

Chief Consumer Product Officer, Mastercard

When leadership teams represent different perspectives and lived experiences, they make more informed decisions, drive innovation, and collaborate in ways that show through in your bottom line. That's why 50/50 Women on Boards and their mission to bring more voices to the boardroom are critical.

David Cahoy

Senior Managing Director, Evercore

50/50 Women on Boards brings together board directors, business leaders, and highly qualified women shaping the next generation of board leadership. Supporting this mission is a natural extension of our commitment to helping clients build high-performing boards and create long-term value.

Helen Mason

Senior Managing Director, Head of Markets, Riveron

At Riveron, we know that exceptional boards drive exceptional outcomes. Partnering with 50/50 Women on Boards puts us at the center of the conversation that matters most: building the leadership capacity that companies need to perform.

Vera Makarov

Co-Chair, Mexico Conversation on Board Leadership

Board leadership has no borders. The women in this program are accomplished, prepared, and ready. They need visibility and access, and that is what 50/50 Women on Boards delivers. This community is changing the landscape here.

Kris Pederson

Former Americas Center for Board Matters Leader, EY

Diversity of thought and perspective elevates board effectiveness and leads to better governance. Leading boards understand the importance of directors who reflect and address the needs of all stakeholders. I remain committed to supporting efforts to make boards as diverse and inclusive as possible.

Belen Gomez

Vice President, Strategic Initiatives & Communications, Equilar

In a time when some companies are retreating from their DEI commitments, it's more important than ever to stay the course. We support 50/50 Women on Boards in our belief that diverse boards lead to stronger, more innovative businesses.

Sean Ferguson

Vice President, Strategy and Innovation, Bentley University

Bentley is proud to be a strategic research partner for 50/50 Women on Boards. Our collaboration provides critical, data-driven analysis on the advancement of women in board leadership, helping ensure all women leaders can share their expertise to enhance the quality of board governance.

David Chun

Founder & CEO, Equilar

Through our partnership with 50/50 Women on Boards, we provide the research that drives action. Companies that treat board composition as a strategic priority rather than a compliance exercise build the leadership capacity to outperform.

M. Claire Chung

Chair, Lisbon Conversation on Board Leadership

Chairing the first 50/50 Women on Boards event in Portugal was powerful. The Lisbon Conversation brought together governance leaders from Portugal and across Europe for an exchange that was both inspiring and practical; proof that the push for balanced boards knows no borders.

Betsy Berkhemer-Credaire

Co-Chair, Los Angeles Conversation on Board Leadership

Los Angeles has long been a source of outstanding board candidates, with experience spanning technology, healthcare, aerospace, and AI, alongside international ties to the Pacific Rim and Latin America. Our Los Angeles Conversation gives executives the coaching and networking strategies to pursue board positions, now and in future.

Kaori Sasaki

Chair, Tokyo Conversation on Board Leadership

The Tokyo Conversation on Board Leadership brings together a remarkable community of women committed to governance excellence. The event format creates an immediate, substantive exchange, the kind of candid guidance that accelerates your board journey in ways no other conference can replicate.

Annie Yarmy

Co-Chair, New York Conversation on Board Leadership

In a city where everyone is moving fast, the New York Conversation on Board Leadership made me slow down and think strategically about my board path. The caliber of panelists, the depth of the coaching sessions, and the quality of the network in that room are unmatched.