Stanford Business School Alumni Association: GSB Women

Corporate Boards

Initiative

The demand for women to serve on corporate boards has never been greater, yet those responsible for recruiting new corporate directors claim there aren't enough qualified women to fill the spots. The goal of the Women on Corporate Boards Initiative is to increase to the representation of women on boards through the following activities:

  • identify and surface board-qualified candidates among GSB alumnae
  • build relationships with search firms and other organizations involved in identifying board-qualified candidates and connecting them to our alumnae
  • provide guidance to those women seeking to enhance their qualifications for board service through continuing education and other activities
  • identify programs that provide opportunities for networking and/or educational enhancement
  • provide news about the topic of women in corporate governance

Board Member Criteria

Please confirm that your alumni profile, board membership and corporate experience is updated in the alumni directory. For more information about the Women on Corporate Boards Initiative please email gsbwomen@gsb.stanford.edu.

GSB and Stanford University Resources

Director's Consortium at Stanford offers even experienced directors the benefit of a research-based, comprehensive approach to the complex decisions that board members must make. The program will help you build a "best practices" framework for making informed board decisions. Details

Director's College at Stanford is the nation's premier executive education program for directors and senior executives of publicly traded firms. This RiskMetrics (ISS) accredited curriculum addresses a broad range of problems that confront modern boards. Details

GSB Corporate Governance Research Program
This program aims to leverages the research scholarship of the Graduate School of Business faculty members to generate new insights into the fundamental "big issues" surrounding corporate governance. Details

The Rock Center for Corporate Governance plans, coordinates, and hosts a wide variety of research projects, programmatic activities, and special events that address a broad range of topics related to Corporate Governance. Details

Other Resources of Interest to Alumnae

Corporate Board Member magazine is an information resource for senior officers and directors of publicly traded corporations, top private companies, and Global 1000 firms. Details

National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) is a national non-profit membership organization dedicated exclusively to serving the corporate governance needs of corporate boards and individual board members. Details

Forum for Women Entrepreneurs and Executives connects exceptional women leaders with people and ideas that enhance their impact on the world. One of their goals is to help talented and experienced women achieve board placements by providing advocacy, education, and a nationwide network of successful women executives. Details

Register Yourself to be a Board Candidate
BoardRecruiting, a NASDAQ OMX product, is an online recruitment search application that directly connects prospective directors with Boards who face mandates to recruit independent Board members. Details

InterOrganization Network (ION) consists of twelve regional organizations in the United States that combine their energies in advocating the advancement of women to positions of power in the business world, especially to boards of directors and executive suites. Details

Catalyst is the leading nonprofit membership organization working globally with businesses and the professions to build inclusive workplaces and expand opportunities for women and business. Catalyst's practices and services includes Corporate Board Services, which assists women in determining whether serving on a board is right for them. Details

Women On Boards Event is a panel discussion which educates and prepares women to serve on boards of directors. The panelists are business leaders who have the experience serving on for-profit and not-for-profit boards.  Events are held around the country. Details

OnBoard Bootcamp provides an insiders guide on how to be selected and introduces you to experienced directors and search executives who will share with you "lessons learned" along the way. Details

Boardroom Bound prepares women and ethnically diverse men for corporate board service.  Their TWO day Pipeline Seminar is an "early-start", director-candidate development program. Details

Women Corporate Directors is a rapidly growing international community of women who serve as directors of corporations. We are committed to sharing the best practices of corporate governance and discussing the challenges of conducting business in a highly competitive and volatile global economy. Details

The Board of Directors Network is an organization of women and men representing boards of directors, corporations, government agencies, academia, the legal and financial professions, not-for-profit organizations, and the media seeking to influence public companies to further the advancement of women in the boardroom and executive suites. Details