Women On Boards Project

When life gives you pressure, create diamonds… Our brilliant head of marketing, Laura Brooks, recently delivered a grad speech that left us all inspired. Her words remind us that in moments of challenge, we have the power to rise, grow, and shine even brighter. We're excited to share her incredible insights—Laura, thank you for your leadership and for inspiring the next generation to transform pressure into something extraordinary!

Board Member Spotlight Alert! We’re excited to feature Michelle Stacy in this month’s W Project Placement spotlight! With over 25 years of leadership experience, Michelle joined the board of Milton's in 2022 in collaboration with Women On Boards Project. Throughout her career, Michelle has held key roles at Gillette India Pvt. Ltd, Keurig Green Mountain, Inc., and iRobot, and currently serves on boards like Milton's, Skullcandy Inc., Bellwether, and Adventure Ready Brands. Her leadership philosophy centers on collaboration, innovation, and fostering diversity. Here are highlights from our conversation with Michelle: Q: What motivates you as a board member? A: My passion for building brands and creating consumer delight drives me. As a board member, I focus on long-term growth and innovation, collaborating with leadership to guide companies strategically. Q: What’s been your most rewarding board experience? A: My work with Milton’s Bakery has been incredibly fulfilling. Expanding distribution and innovating product lines while partnering with CEO John has been an exciting journey. Q: How do women bring unique perspectives to board discussions? A: Women bring a different lens, focusing on the human element and fostering collaboration. Diversity leads to more creative and effective solutions by bringing fresh perspectives. Q: What advice would you give to those transitioning to board work? A: Transitioning from an executive role to the boardroom requires a shift—providing oversight, not control. It’s important to stay engaged but step back and support leadership. Q: What’s your next adventure? A: I’m heading on a 14-day whitewater rafting trip down the Colorado River! Completely off the grid—no shower, no toilet. I’m beyond excited. Q: What are you currently reading? A: I just finished Unreasonable Hospitality, and it resonated with me. Creating exceptional experiences for people is something I strive to apply in both business and leadership. Michelle’s drive and passion inspire us all. We’re proud to have her in our network and excited to see where her leadership takes her next! #BoardLeadership #WomenInBusiness #WomenOnBoards

Happy International Day of the Girl! Today, we celebrate the strength, intelligence, and limitless potential of girls worldwide. At the Women On Boards Project, we are committed to creating a future where every girl can aspire to and achieve leadership in any industry. Our mission to diversify corporate boards is rooted in the belief that empowering women today sparks a ripple effect, shaping the next generation of women leaders. Let’s continue building pathways so that every girl can dream big and confidently claim her seat at the table. P.S. - Major S/O to www.leaningirls.org for the candid & encouraging video in celebration of International Day of the Girl! #InternationalDayoftheGirl #EmpowerHer #WomenOnBoards

It’s been one year since Women On Boards Project was featured in The Wall Street Journal’s Pro Private Equity Report, and wow—what a year it’s been! Since that feature, we’ve reached some incredible milestones: 
✨ 60 board placements to date
✨ 10 searches closed this year
✨ 6 searches currently in progress
✨ And an exciting 59% of these placements are first-time board members! Our mission to redefine what it means to be “board ready” has never felt more impactful. As we reflect on the progress of the last year, we're driven by the momentum to keep creating opportunities and impact. Thank you to everyone who’s been part of this journey, and here’s to many more milestones ahead! #BoardDiversity #WomenInLeadership #WomenOnBoards

IT ALL STARTED WITH AN IDEA… Five years ago, Sheryl O'Loughlin, Melissa Facchina, Kara Cissell-Roell, and Cassie Burr recognized a simple yet significant problem: they knew dozens of talented women and CEOs who needed their expertise, but neither group seemed to find one another. That’s when the Women On Boards Project was born, with a mission to bridge that gap and bring more diversity to boardrooms. Launched as a non-profit in February 2020, we partnered with industry leaders like VMG Partners, L Catterton, Siddhi Capital, and others to diversify the boards of 20 portfolio brands. Our partners understood that today's companies need directors with specific skill sets to grow key functions and build stakeholder value—demonstrating that diversity works for everyone. What began as a 20-company initiative has now expanded to over 50+ companies, a network of 5,000+ women, and 10 investor sponsors. And the best part? We’re just getting started. Thank you to all our partners, supporters, and an incredible network of members who have made these five years possible. Here’s to continuing to build a future where diverse boards are the norm, not the exception. #WomenOnBoards #DiversityInLeadership #Anniversary

As September comes to a close, we’re excited to celebrate the remarkable women stepping into new boardrooms this month! From taking on new roles to driving impactful change, we’re inspired by your leadership. A huge congratulations to Fiona Tan, Julie Eastland, Prama Bhatt, Sonia Syngal, Michelle Israel, Megha Tolia, Sammye Myers, Jolie Humphrey, Elizabeth Shuford Conroy, and all the other incredible women stepping into new board positions. We can’t wait to see the impact you'll continue to make! #BoardMemberSpotlight #WomenInLeadership #WomenOnBoards

At the Women On Boards Project, part of our mission is to empower women leaders and drive diversity in corporate boardrooms. But let’s break down the numbers a bit more to truly display the impact we make… We've successfully been a part of the placement process for 60 women into new board opportunities. Notably, 32 of these women are first-time for-profit board members! The ripple effect is incredible: these women have collectively secured an astounding 46 additional for-profit board roles. This means our initial placements are not just filling seats but creating pathways for even more opportunity to lead in the corporate world. This is the power of diversity and inclusion in action, and we’re just getting started! #WomenOnBoards #BoardMember #DiverseBoardrooms

At the Women On Boards Project, we’re dedicated to driving meaningful change through strategic board placements. Our team has identified the key factors that distinguish successful placements, and we're thrilled to share these insights in our new series, featuring the expertise of our team members. Next up in the series is Julianne Zhang, who leads our Search Committee, focused on placing female executives in open board positions. With a strong track record of collaborating with VCs and founders to determine the perfect board director profile, JZ has led searches for prominent clients, including Gauge Capital, Marquee Ventures, and Lawry's. JZ's Insight: Success in the boardroom starts with understanding the company's top 1-2 challenges and connecting your personal experience to solving them. Preparation is key to making a placement not just good, but great. In this audio clip, JZ shares more on what truly drives a successful placement. Stay tuned for more expert advice as we continue this series! W Project community: who should we spotlight next? #BoardDiversity #WomenOnBoards #BoardroomSuccess

It’s International Equal Pay Day, and we’re here to talk about the persistent gap that demands action. Despite years of progress, the numbers still paint a frustrating picture: in 2022, women earned only 82% of what men earned. That's just a 2% improvement since 2002. Pardon our French, but WTF?! To make matters worse, according to the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC), if we continue at this sluggish rate, it could take 257 years to close the gender pay gap globally. Yes, you read that right—257 years. Equal pay isn't just a fairness issue; it's critical for gender equality and sustainable economic growth. Organizations like EPIC, who are fighting for change, deserve our gratitude for their tireless work in pushing for collaborative, society-wide efforts to speed up progress. Today, let’s make some noise. Equal pay is within reach, but it’s time to demand more for the women who are powering our global workforce forward. #EqualPay #InternationalEqualPayDay #DemandMore

Meet Dikla T., a powerhouse leader who joined the board of The Honey Pot Company in collaboration with to the Women On Boards Project. In this spotlight, Dikla shares her journey to board service, the values that drive her, and the powerful impact of supporting entrepreneurs during critical stages. Get inspired by her insights on perseverance, leadership, and making a difference in the world of innovation.