Board Institute

The annual Board Institute is a key way in which DirectWomen fulfills its mission.

Nearly 40% of DirectWomen alumni have been elected to serve on at least one corporate board, with alumni serving on over 210 total corporate boards, since the organization’s inception.

The application for DirectWomen’s 2026 Board Institute is now open! Please contact Yessenia Echevarria at yechevarria@directwomen.org for more information.

More than 285 lawyers have participated in the Board Institute over the past 18 years and provide a rich pool of director candidates. Past Board Institute classes have been comprised of General Counsel of Fortune 500 companies, partners at top law firms, and leading lawyers from government and academia. These distinguished lawyers represent a wide range of business knowledge and experience in their industries, which include finance, energy, retail, media, and pharmaceuticals, among others. To learn more about DirectWomen’s Board Institute alumni, visit our alumni biography and resume database.

SUCCESS STORIES

Laurie B. Keating

Laurie is an enterprise-wide, strategic leader with entrepreneurial insights and three decades of executive management, Board and Board counselling experience in diverse settings. She has expertise in M&A, business development,

Deborah Platt Majoras

Deborah Platt Majoras has had a diverse legal career, serving in the corporate, governmental, and law firm sectors.  She currently serves as the Chief Legal Officer and Secretary for The Procter &

Sarah Hlavinka McConnell

Sarah Hlavinka McConnell serves as Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary for Xerox Corporation. Prior to joining Xerox, Ms. McConnell served as Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and