Get on Board

Introduction

A few years ago, I started the Women Serve on Boards movement. Our goal was simple: pressure the remaining Fortune 500 companies with all-male boards to elect or appoint their first woman directors. Two petitions, a few letters, and countless social media posts later, we convinced some Fortune 500 companies to hire their first women to serve on their boards of directors.

Then I found myself asking, “How can I scale this cause?” I ultimately concluded that public policy is the answer. So I fiercely advocated, testified, and mobilized support for what became known as California “SB 826,” a 2018 California law that requires public companies with their principal executive office in California recruit women onto their corporate boards. ...