illumyn Impact

In the latest article for my Nurole series - How to Serve on a Third Sector Board - I had the pleasure of interviewing Joanna Rees, a leader who understands the power of governance in driving innovation, investment, and long-term impact on both for-profit and non-profit boards. An experienced venture capital investor, corporate board member, and non-profit Chair, Joanna has worked at the intersection of business growth, brand positioning, and governance, shaping the success of high-growth businesses and mission-driven organisations alike. In our conversation, Joanna shared her perspective on building effective boards, fostering diversity in leadership, and the evolving role of governance. Her experience at FICO, Inception Fertility, illumyn, and as the founder of Endeavor Catalyst offers valuable insights into how organisations can balance financial performance with long-term, purpose-driven growth. Some key takeaways from our conversation include: ? The role of governance in driving innovation – Effective boards do more than provide oversight; they create environments where companies can scale responsibly, balancing agility with accountability. Joanna highlighted how strong governance structures are essential in fostering long-term, sustainable success. ? Inclusivity at the board level – Bringing together a wide range of perspectives, backgrounds, and expertise is crucial to ensuring boards reflect the communities they serve. Joanna discussed why inclusive governance is not only about representation but also about ensuring that diverse critical perspectives inform decision-making at every level. ? Bridging the gap between for-profit and non-profit leadership – There is a growing convergence between the corporate and non-profit sectors, with many transferable lessons between them. Joanna shared her insights on how leaders can apply commercial strategies to enhance the impact of mission-driven organisations, and apply purpose-based strategies to sustain the growth of commercial institutions. Read the full interview to gain more of Joanna’s insights on leadership and governance here: https://lnkd.in/ep7c7_Ux #BoardLeadership #CorporateGovernance #Innovation #DiversityInLeadership #BosterGroup

Celebrating an incredible evening at the Ford Foundation, where the amazing Roy Swan and his team - Megan Walsh Thompson, Margot Brandenburg - hosted an event in honor of their support of our work at illumyn Impact.? The evening was truly memorable, filled with rich conversations and insights. The highlight was a thought-provoking discussion, skillfully moderated by our board chair Joanna Rees, featuring esteemed speakers Ursula Burns, Gaby Sulzberger, and Michael Chu. Together, they tackled the critical topic of Building the Private Companies of Tomorrow. Their candid and authentic dialogue emphasized the urgent need for new thinking in our boardrooms. As we face rapid changes, particularly with the rise of AI, it’s clear that our boards must evolve to reflect the complex realities of the consumers and employees they serve. At times, the conversation was uplifting, but it also served as a sobering reminder that today’s boardrooms still lack the representation necessary to navigate these challenges effectively. A heartfelt thank you to the Ford Foundation for orchestrating such a memorable event. I am grateful to the many attendees from the Ford and illumyn Impact networks, our speakers, board members, team, and advisors who traveled to be part of this important gathering. This evening will forever be a cherished memory, igniting the energy and motivation to propel our work forward. Together, we can create the change we wish to see in the boardroom and beyond!

I am so proud of our most recent dinner with Bank of America and illumyn Impact! Thank you so much Brian and Jocelyn Mangan for making this event come to life. At the dinner, we chatted through our 2025 goals, AI and governance, and how to support qualified candidates to find corporate board seats. This dinner holds a special place in my heart. Six years ago, Brian believed in the mission and concept of the new non-profit Him for Her (now rebranded Illumyn Impact). Right out of the Henry Crown Fellowship, Jocelyn took her project and ran with it! Brian so openly co-hosted one of the first dinners with me to support Jocelyn. Today, illumyn Impact has hosted over 175 dinners and made 173 board placements. So proud of the impact the illumyn Impact team is making! If you know a qualified board candidate or someone looking to fill their board, be sure to connect with the illumyn team! Fun note: I met Jocelyn years before via a partnership for Care.com and was impressed by her passion and talent, and I nominated her for the Aspen Institute's Henry Crown Fellowship ?? Sponsoring women who can make an impact in the world and helping them build their platform to serve others is what lights me up! And Jocelyn's bright light is so inspirational. "When we invest in women and girls, we are investing in the people who invest in everyone else." - Melinda Gates Thank you Pavel for incredible photography! Thank you Cooley LLP and Riviera Partners for sponsoring the amazing dinner. Thank you Jill Belanger, Ruth Dewa Ayu, and Andrea Lirio for making this event possible! Alicin Reidy Williamson April Koh Darline Jean Diane Gotua Douglas Peterson Heather Hartnett Lorna Sabbia Matt Salzberg Michael Flood Nirav Shah Pinar Kip Williamson Rich Lesser Sarah Lightdale Sarah Paiji Yoo Sejal Shah Gulati