Diversifying senior leadership through sponsorship | Athena News & Updates

Insights from Our Members

Diversifying senior leadership through sponsorship: Recommendations from a Diversity & Inclusion practitioner

As International Women’s Day & Women’s History Month arrive, Athena member Zoa Ordó?ez reflects on the importance of career empowerment for women and underrepresented leaders. Read her practical tips to activate sponsorship in your organization and career.

Meet Athena member Carol Coughlin, an expert in board finance, M&A, and sustainable operations

Carol Coughlin is a seasoned board director and the CEO/founder of BottomLine Growth Strategies, a consulting firm helping companies develop the financial and operational expertise they need for sustainable growth. We chat with Carol to hear more about her journey, the changing face of the boardroom, and how women leaders can prepare for board-level financial discussions.

Access top female board talent

Fast-track your discovery of top-tier board director and board advisor candidates through our powerful community of women leaders. Learn how Athena can help your company access a network of world-class board talent.

Leadership Lessons from the Field

The head coach with Chris Petersen

Former UW Head Football Coach Chris Petersen’s humble philosophy about football, life, and relationships stems from his beginnings as the UC Davis quarterback. At the pinnacle of his career, Coach Pete found himself yearning for wins beyond the field, stepping away from the game at the end of the 2019/2020 season to focus on what he calls his personal scoreboard: family, relationships, values, and friends. Listen now.

You're Invited

Valence x Athena: The path to the boardroom

Join us as we partner with Valence, a network for Black professionals for a special event about the intersectionality of women in leadership. Participate in a panel discussion moderated by Athena's Founder and CEO Coco Brown, featuring members Rhonda Mims and Merline Saintil, and discover tangible tips to accelerate your professional journey. Learn more and RSVP by creating a free account here.

Breaking the Glass Ceiling

Global glass ceiling index update

Economist's annual glass-ceiling index ranking conditions for working women across 29 countries found Nordic countries at the top, with the U.S. ranking at No. 18." America received poor marks on parental leave and political representation," The Economist reports. "But it has a high share of women in management (41%) and on company boards (28%)."

What Indian American women want in the boardroom: representation

Athena member Neha Sampat vividly remembers the exhilarating moment when investment dollars reached her company’s account. This was a monumental moment as an Indian woman in technology. Read more about the journey of Indian American women to the boardroom, highlighting Athena members Neha Sampat and Raji Arasu as well as comments from Athena Founder & CEO Coco Brown & Board Support Manager Samantha Lorenzo.

The C-suite wants board refreshment. Here’s what directors can do.

Board refreshes are one of the most powerful tools in the a leader's arsenal in building a more modern, diverse boardroom. PwC’s Annual Corporate Directors Survey showed the number of directors who believe a board peer shoud be replaced is increasing, reaching 49% in 2020. Read more here.

Member News & Celebrations

Congratulations to our members on their recent achievements

• Christina Singh was appointed as VP of Customer Success at Split
• Christine Gorjanc was appointed to the Zymergen board
• Denice Torres was appointed to the Glaukos board
• Donna Wells was appointed to the Walker & Dunlop board
• Edna Conway was recognized as a Security Magazine Top Cybersecurity Leader
• Julie Lyle was appointed to the Dstillery board
• Lakecia Gunter was appointed to the IDEX board
• Leilani Latimer was appointed to the Black Diamond board
• Muna Bhanji was appointed to the Cytokinetics board
• Patricia Maryland was appointed to the Surgery Partners board
• Shannon Nash was appointed to the UserTesting board

Welcome new members

We are honored to welcome more than 30 new members to our community this week. These talented women leaders come to us from leading organizations like HBR Consulting, Natera, Bank of America, Contentstack, UPS, and Pearson Education. They are Founders, CEOs, Global Heads, board directors, SVPs, and VPs serving in areas of HR, sales, operations, talent, community relations, and cyber leadership. Learn more about our membership options starting at just $850/year.