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
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
Susan S. Lanigan
Susan Lanigan has over thirty years of professional experience as a senior executive of three publicly-traded retail companies, as a current member of the boards of directors of two publicly-traded
Jana Cohen Barbe
Jana Barbe is an accomplished and highly regarded director of both public and private companies wielding a keen and perceptive understanding of boardroom dynamics, a strong background in governance and