We offer three services to prepare directors to serve:
We use our best-in-class proprietary tool, to assess and vet candidates for their readiness to serve on boards.
The assessment includes a profile of the candidate’s board style, based on a psychometric tool developed by BoardWise. Underlying the model is an algorithm used to match individual registrants to possible board assignments, based on their fit and readiness for specific types of board. Members can also use the findings to improve their board readiness capabilities by scheduling one-hour coaching sessions with a BoardWise certified board coach to discuss their board style and preferences; to learn about ideal board fit and how to find the right opportunities; and to improve their own effectiveness while serving on a board.
Assess and Prepare to Serve with Board Access ProgramTM
Executives exercise their leadership in organizations around the global every day. While many have strengths they could bring to board governance, director positions often seem out of reach.
The Board Access™ Program helps professionals with ambitions to serve on boards. It is designed to help you craft your professional development agenda and support you with resources to make it happen. The program is open to seasoned men and women globally.
Assessing Your Eligibility
Our program begins with your completion of an online assessment of your readiness to serve on board, using our Board Bona Fide™ best in class evaluation. This tool helps us to guide you about your eligibility and fit and identifies actions you can take to increase your candidacy.
Once you complete the assessment, you are automatically enrolled in our Board Bona Fide registry, our database for aspirational candidates who wish to be considered for positions in the future. If a company contacts us to conduct a search of our private registry for them and your profile is a strong fit, we contact you to see if you would like your name put forward. If you say yes, then we put you both in touch. We are not a search firm and do not receive fees for our candidate availability service.
Coaching and Support
The Board Access™ Program helps professionals with ambitions to serve on boards. It is designed to help you craft your professional development agenda and support you with resources to make it happen. The program is open to seasoned men and women globally.
You have access to participate in a staged board simulation, as well as workshops in Hot Topics in Governance. These are offered three times a year.
You may also elect to participate in our board certification program, which provides a thorough training in corporate governance. Our certification program is endorsed by the United Nations and is a 5 day program. Members of Board Access may attend this at a discounted fee.
We also support international mentoring and coaching programs for aspiring directors. We are proud to contribute to the international Global Women on Boards Mentorship Program, managed by Lead-Women, Sdn Bhd., located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia since 2011. Learn more about the annual program here.
Connections
We introduce you to board recruiters and sitting board members who can help you with advice and guidance to help you meet your goals.
In addition to the above components, you are eligible to attendour full suite of governance programs, consultation support, online webinars and best practices newsletters. Our BoardGovernance workshops address topics critical to board members. The workshops are interactive sessions with men and women who sit on boards providing both opportunities for development and connections.
Reserve Your Seat for our 2024 Program
BOARD PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
Program Offering Schedule
On- Line Live
Spring Session –April 5- May 31
Fall Session - Sept 6–Nov 1
In Person
Summer Session – Aug 23-24
Serving as a board director is both an honor and a duty. This program equips directors with the understanding about their responsibilities, the current and emerging challenges and trends which face them and the fundamental knowledge and skills they need to be capable contributors to public, private and advisory boards. Arm yourself for success with this highly interactive program and secure a level one board certification.
TOPICS AND CONTENT
This program has two components.
INITIAL ORIENTATION – assessment and personal one-one one video call with Boardwise expert
Participants complete an online Board Bona Fide® assessment to establish current board readiness. You have a one-hour private session with a board expert coach to review your profile; discuss what type of board is the best match and explore suggestions for how to achieve your goal to serve on a board.
GOVERNANCE EDUCATION SESSIONS – live educational sessions online
The live interactive program includes nine sessions, each of which is two hours.
The modules include presentations and interviews with experts on governance and the hot topics which directors must address today, including:governance differences among countries, cybersecurity, risk management and decision-making, artificial intelligence, strategic designs, financial foundations and emerging challenges in digital transformation and diversity.
Each session includes interviews with topic experts, facilitated presentations related to director duties and cares on the topic and experiential board exercises based on real-world situational cases. Cases are used for board simulations and discussion. Homework assignment are provided a week prior to each session for participants to read and prepare.
SESSIONS TOPICS
In-Person Program
Based on requests of many for an in-person program, we offer a robust live program which covers all the topics with participants in a robust, interactive 2 days together. Professionals with busy work week schedules who prefer late-week/weekend offerings will find it helpful, as the program is on Friday and Saturday. Those who enjoy group learning find this ideal.
FACULTY AND EXPERTS
Dr. Donna Hamlin
Dr. Hamlin CEO of Boardwise and a corporate executive with thirty years of corporate, governance and strategy consulting experience. She oversees BoardWise’s global programs, including its centers and their services. These include: board evaluations, professional certification and training, its global registry of qualified directors, Board Bona Fide®, its strategic partnership programs and its Boardwise center. She is certified for governance by the National Association of Corporate Directors in the U.S. and in global governance by Harvard University.Prior to her role at BoardWise, she founded Hamlin Harkins, Ltd., where she developed a successful track record in strategy change management and human performance management, serving clients from Fortune 500 global enterprises to start-up companies in more than 30 countries. She holds Ph.D. and M.S. degrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a B.A. degree from Siena College and has studied at the University of London. A published author, she writes management articles in the area of strategy, brand value management, change and human performance management. She has director international experience for three decades and currently as independent director at Daily Pay, Inc. and AussieWeb, Inc.
Professor Dr. Fed van Eenennaam
Prof Dr Fred van Eenennaam developed several leading board and strategy programs.
In The Netherlands he has been (co)building the New CFO program, (Erasmus University 2010 - 2021), the New Board Program (2006 – 2012), the Boards for non-listed firms program (Dutch Center for Directors and Non Executives, 2003-2012; 2015-2018).
On international and global Board Programs, Fred has built the Maximize Your Board Potential Program, with The Decision Institute, hosted at the Harvard Faculty Club in Cambridge, MASS, USA, (2010 - 2021), IESE Board Program (2014-2016). He served on the board of his family businesses, in Technology/Biotechnology driven firms and healthcare life sciences industries.
He conducts board evaluations, board training, board coaching, inhouse governance education both for board members and for managers as part of their executive/leadership education. Fred writes business case studies and, with his international partners and academic and business network, he advises on board dilemmas and challenges. Fred is a member of the Swiss Institute of Director chaired by Prof Martin Hilb).Prof M E Porter, Ph D bestowed him to his Micro Economics of Competitiveness Hall of Fame of Harvard Business School in 2012. He is an affiliated faculty of the Microeconomics of Competitiveness Center of HBS (since 2001). Fred teaches at different universities around the world and has been pioneering hybrid and online education including for the leading ex HMA Program of the George Washington University as co-program and content designer.
Jen McClure
Jen is an executive and board director with extensive marketing and communications experience in the media, tech and information services industries. She is a respected leader with a track record of identifying important business, technological and societal trends and works with growth-stage companies as an adviser, consultant, investor and board member. Jen is CEO of JEM, a growing Silicon Valley-based management consultancy and publishing company she founded in 2015. She was named a “Power Player” in management consulting by Business Insider in its list of the most influential executives disrupting the industry. Jen is considered to be one of the original authorities on digital and social media. She has been named one of "25 Women Who Rock Social." She foresaw the impact that social media and digital technologies would have on business, media, culture and society, and in 2005 founded the Society for New Communications Research (SNCR), a global nonprofit think tank focused on researching this evolving technology landscape. She served as SNCR’s CEO and Board Chair for 10 years, and led the organization’s merger with The Conference Board in 2016. She now serves as Distinguished Principal Fellow and Program Director of the Marketing and Communications Center of The Conference Board. Prior to founding JEM, Jen was Global Head and Vice President of Digital and Social Media at Thomson Reuters where she founded and led the company’s Digital Center of Excellence and the Digital Communications team. Prior to Thomson Reuters, she was Chief Marketing Officer of Redwood Collaborative Media. She also held senior marketing and PR roles at Ziff Davis, Ketchum and New Electronic Media Science. Jen is a Governance Fellow of the National Association of Corporate Directors and has experience serving on the board of a privately held media company. She currently serves on the board of KQED, one of the nation’s largest public media companies. Jen works with start-ups as an adviser and investor. She is a Limited Partner in five venture funds and has served on the Investment Committee of Spike Ventures. Jen earned her master’s degree from Stanford University and her bachelor’s degree from Sarah Lawrence College.
Marilyn Nagel
Marilyn has more than 30 years of experience in the corporate world as a C-Suite executive, entrepreneur and executive coach. Marilyn is Co-founder and Chief Advocacy Officer of RISEQUITY, a company dedicated to empowering employees, developing leaders and transforming company cultures. She is also Chief Learning Officer of SAMI, a game-based leadership development company, and founder of her consulting firm, Ready-Aim-Aspire. She is widely recognized in the field Diversity, Inclusion and Equity, as well as in executive and board development, leadership and networking. Prior to co-founding RISEQUITY, Marilyn served as CEO of Watermark, launching their Conference for Women and creating breakthrough programs while Chief Diversity Officer at Cisco. She Is a recognized thought leader in shifting focus on inclusion, launching the first Inclusion Index, flexible work practices, and developing the Maturity Model for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion,noted as the industry standard. She co-chaired the Conference Board Global Diversity Group, formed a consortium in Silicon Valley for Diversity Officers and was senior advisor to the Center for Talent and Innovation. She consults with pre- and post IPO companies, fortune 500 and global multinational companies to develop and implement diversity strategies. An internationally known speaker and workshop facilitator, she addresses: Inclusive Leadership, Building Intentional Connections, Inclusive Hiring, Creating Influence, Board Accountability and Women’s Leadership. Marilyn develops programs for Diversity Woman Media and produced the Women in Tech conference. She is a regular blogger for the Huffington Post and frequently contributes to numerous publications. Marilyn is the speaker curator/producer of Sonoma TEDx, serves on the Board of Directors of Ceres Community Project and has served on the Board of Directors of Watermark, Professional Business Women of California (PBWC), the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, Inc. (NACME), UPWARD, and Family and Children Services. She also serves on the Advisory Boards of YOL, The Everest Project, as well as the Advisory Council of Courageous Leadership. Marilyn holds a bachelor’s degree in fine arts, a master’s degree in Social and Systemic Studies and a master’s in public administration MPA.
Nola Masterson
Nola Masterson works with our clients on governance practices and coaches’ directors and aspiring directors. She is an experienced global executive and board leader serving on public company, venture- backed private company and non-profit organization boards. Her career includes successful business experience, with Millipore for eight years and, as CEO and co-founder of Sequenom, (SQNM) and the first analyst in biotechnology on Wall Street with Drexel Burnham Lambert and Merrill Lynch. She has managed her own venture fund, and has been a Venture Partner in a major European IT and life sciences venture fund, TVM Capital. During her 14 years on the Repros Therapeutics (RPRX) Board she advised the CEO on strategy, finance, operations and board recruitment. She served as Chair of the Board for 5 years and as Chair of the Compensation Committee and a member of the Audit Committee.
Join those board directors who understand: board learning is a permanent commitment.
We have two offerings of this program this year.
REGISTER TO RESERVE YOUR SEAT
Program Offering Schedule
On- Line Live
Spring Session – April 5 - May 31
Fall Session - Sept 6– Nov 1
In Person
Summer Session – Aug 23-24
Why This Program?
Taught by world-class global experts in corporate governance, you will:
WHAT MAKES THIS PROGRAM DIFFERENT
Our Board Professional Program is for aspiring and current board members who want to increase their ability to engage meaningfully in discussions of leading-edge topics, ask sharper questions more easily, delve to the core of critical issues and improve proportional impact in a boardroom to create more shareholder value – not just conceptually, but tangibly by helping management think more critically about decisions.
Boardwise offers 9, 2-hour modules of training that span from “welcome to the boardroom” to leading-edge technology application, including AI-Decision Science and Cybersecurity.
Our modules are strikingly different from other programs. Other programs are structured as more lecture-oriented knowledge downloads, often around regulatory and compliance topics to prepare for test-taking or compliance.
In contrast, Boardwise modules offer:
For those who are looking for In-Person 2 Day Training - Click here.
"Boardwise's certification program was life-changing! It made me see things with entirely new ways to weigh and address challenges in businesses and board duties."
"Boardwise's certification is just what I needed. The instructors are amazing. The practical training on how to think and communicate as a board member is tremendously valuable."
"Thank you for offering such a great program, Boardwise. I loved my experience. To folks considering the course, I finished my certification program and loved it. It is amazing and informative. From the content to the speakers to the orchestration and scheduling, aspects of this series are top notch and well worth the time and investment."
"Boardwise's program is amazing. The facilitation is deep and relevant. I am so impressed with how participants receive feedback in ways that support and build on people's abilities and styles in addressing board situations. Their knowledge is clearly extensive and their warmth and openness is incredibly wonderful."
"Boardwise has curated a series of insightful, stimulating sessions with an impressive cohort. In them, Donna introduces topical experts, explores current issues and best practices to be effective in the boardroom. It is helpful and enjoyable."
"The Boardwise Certification course is an invaluable experience in terms of how much I learned at a rapid rate. I am so impressed with the expertise of the guest speakers, such as Brian Barnier, John Kindervay and Jen McClure. The relevant topics – cybersecurity, risk, digital transformation – are framed in discussions around business implications and the role of board directors to use critical thinking to ask the right questions."
Specialized Programs and Seminars
In addition to certification training, BoardWise provides specialized global programs on late- breaking governance issues. Directors can learn from seasoned, expert public company directors who have the knowledge and experience to keep directors in dynamic, high-growth companies current. Our HOT TOPICS IN GOVERNANCE WORKSHOP SERIES addresses timely key governance issues of our time. Stay tuned for sessions on cybersecurity, shareholder activism, compensation, CEO succession, work cultures free of hostile or MeToo issues, shifts from principle-based to regulatory governance and emerging trends in the face of vexing challenges. We also provide online webinars with partners BoardProspects and illumeo, and our international workshops with our partners, including Deloitte, DLA Partners, Westwood and Wilshire and Watermark.
CUSTOMIZED PROGRAMS are available. We address virtually all important board governance topics, bringing together international colleagues together to meet and demystify complex governance issues and provide best practices to address them.
Qualify Potential Directors with Board Bona Fide®
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