Though black women remain among the most underrepresented group in corporate governance, there are a number of black women board members who can still be accounted for at the nation’s largest corporations. But we are raising the stakes to showcase the women who have propelled themselves to not just one board appointment, but two, and in some cases, three or four boards. These women are also part of the 2016 Black Enterprise Registry of Corporate Directors. They’ve earned their place at the table of multiple public companies because of their financial expertise, leadership know-how, and extensive experience in their industry, making them experts with valuable insight that diversifies and improves the nation’s top brands.
Ursula M. Burns, CEO, Xerox
Boards: American Express, Exxon Mobil Corporation
Burns, the first black woman CEO to head a Fortune 500 company, sits on the boards of American Express and Exxon Mobil Corporation. It was her judgment and management experience that led American Express to appoint her in 2004, where she serves on the compensation and benefits committee and the risk committee. She joined Exxon Mobil’s board in 2012, in which she is a member of both the audit and finance committees.
Mary K. Bush, President, Bush International
Boards: Discover Financial Services, T. Rowe Price Group Inc.
The Honorable Mary K. Bush has held several presidential appointments, including the U.S. government’s representative on the IMF Board and Director of Sallie Mae. She sits on the boards of Discover Financial Services and T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. At Discover Financial, her international and governmental affairs experience led her to the nominating and governance committee and the risk oversight committee. At T. Rowe Price, she lends her financial expertise to the audit committee and executive compensation committee.
Linda W. Bynoe, President and Chief Executive Officer, Telemat Ltd.
Boards: Equity Residential, Northern Trust Corporation (IL)
Bynoe has 27 years of experience at Chicago-based Telemat, where she has developed a diverse portfolio of consulting experiences. She sits on the boards of Equity Residential and Northern Trust Corporation (IL). At Northern Trust, she sits on the compensation and benefits committee and the corporate governance committee. At Equity Residential, she is a member of the audit committee and the corporate governance committee.
Pamela L. Carter, Retired President, Cummins Distribution
Pamela CarterBoards: CSX Corporation, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company, Spectra Energy Corporation
Carter was the first African American woman in the country to be elected to Attorney General of Indiana. Following this role, she joined Cummins in 1997. Her insight, public policy, and operational experience landed her board appointments at CSX Corporation, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company, and Spectra Energy Corporation. At Hewlett Packard, she serves on the audit committee and the HR and compensation committee. At Spectra Energy, she chairs the corporate governance committee and sits on the compensation committee. At CSX, she is a member of governance committee and public affairs committee.
Helene D. Gayle, CEO, McKinsey Social Initiative
Boards: The Coca-Cola Company, Colgate-Palmolive Company
This influential leader is an expert on health, global development, and humanitarian issues. Prior to McKinsey, she served as president and CEO of one of the leading international humanitarian organizations, CARE USA. She sits on the boards of The Coca-Cola Company and Colgate-Palmolive Company. Coca-Cola tapped Gayle in 2013, because of her global mindset and deep understanding of health and humanitarian issues. There, she sits on the compensation committee and public issues and diversity review committee. At Colgate-Palmolive Co., she is chair of the nominating and corporate governance committee and a member of the personnel and organization committee.
Linda R. Gooden, Retired Executive Vice President, Information Systems & Global Solutions, Lockheed Martin Corporation
Boards: Automatic Data Processing, General Motors, The Home Depot, Inc.
Linda Gooden’s leadership and experience in information technology and expertise in operations has led her to the boards of three well-known companies; Automatic Data Processing, General Motors Company, and The Home Depot, Inc. At ADP, she is chair of the corporate development and technology advisory committee and a member of the audit committee. At GM, she serves on the audit and risk committee. At Home Depot, she sits on the audit committee and leadership development and compensation committee.
Alexis M. Herman, Chair & CEO, New Ventures, LLC
Boards: The Coca-Cola Company, Cummins Inc., Entergy Corporation
Herman sits on the boards of The Coca-Cola Company, Cummins Inc., and Entergy Corporation. Prior to New Ventures, she was the first African American ever to lead the United States Department of Labor, when she was sworn in as the 23rd Secretary of Labor in 1997. She was appointed to
Cummins board of directors in 2001, and she is now the lead director. Additionally, she sits on the audit committee, compensation committee, and the governance and nominating committee. Her public service experience and leadership led to her appointment at Entergy, where she is chair of corporate governance committee and a member of the personnel committee. At Coca-Cola, she serves on the compensation committee and the public issues and diversity review committee.Linda A. Hill, Wallace Brett Donham Professor, Harvard Business School
Boards: Eaton Corporation PLC, State Street Corporation
At Eaton Corporation PLC, Hill was tapped for her extensive and diverse background at Harvard Business School. In addition to being the Wallace Brett Donham Professor of Business Administration, she has chaired numerous HBS executive education programs. At Eaton, she is a member of the compensation and organization committee and a member of the governance committee. At State Street Corporation, she serves on the executive compensation, nominating and corporate governance, and technology committees.
Mellody Hobson, President, Ariel Investments, LLC
Boards: Starbucks Corporation, Estee Lauder Companies
In addition to her role at Ariel Investments where she is responsible for firm-wide management and strategic planning, Hobson is a nationally acclaimed voice on financial literacy and investor education. Her expertise has led to her board appointments at Starbucks Corporation, where she chairs the audit and compliance committee. At Estee Lauder Companies, she sits on the audit committee. In 2015, she was included in Time magazine’s annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Michelle J. Hooper, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Directors’ Council
Boards: PPG Industries Inc., UnitedHealth Group Inc.
Michelle Hooper sits on the boards of PPG Industries Inc. and UnitedHealth Group Inc. At PPG, her financial experience has led to her role as chair of the audit committee and as a member of the nominating and governance committee. She was chosen for UnitedHealth’s board because of her strategic management skills, running a company that works with corporate boards to increase their independence, effectiveness, and diversity. There she serves on the audit committee and the nominating and corporate governance committee.
Shirley A. Jackson, Ph.D, President, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Boards: FedEx Corporation, International Business Machines Corporation, Medtronic PLC, Public Service Enterprise Group
Dr. Shirley Jackson is in high demand for corporate boards. It’s no surprise, given
the physicist’s list of accomplishments, including research that led to inventions of solar cells, the touch-tone telephone, and fiber optic cables. She currently sits on four boards– FedEx Corporation, International Business Machines Corporation, Medtronic PLC, and Public Service Enterprise Group. At IBM, she is chair of directors and the corporate governance committee, and she is a member of the executive committee. At Medtronic, she chairs the audit committee and also sits on the nominating and corporate governance committee.Donna A. James, Managing Director, Lardon & Associates, LLC
Boards: Boston Scientific Corporation, L Brands Inc., Marathon Petroleum
James’ leadership experience spans more than 30 years and landed her on the boards of Boston Scientific Corporation, L Brands Inc., and Marathon Petroleum Corporation. When she was elected to Boston Scientific’s board in 2015, it was because of her significant financial knowledge, her human resources management skills, and her organizational planning skills. Those same skills aid the boards of L Brands, where she is chairman of the audit committee, a member of nominating and governance committee, and a member of the inclusion committee. At Marathon Petroleum, she serves on the audit and compensation committees.
Julia L. Johnson, President, NetCommunications, LLC
Boards: American Water Works, FirstEnergy Corporation
It was Johnson’s more than 20 years of experience and a wealth of knowledge in the utility industry, that Don Correll, CEO of American Water Works, says makes her an excellent addition to the board. There, she is chair of the nominating and governance committee, while also serving as a member of the compensation committee. At FirstEnergy Corporation, she sits on the corporate governance and nuclear committees.
Lydia H. Kennard, President and Chief Executive Officer, KDG Construction Consulting
Boards: Freeport-McMoRan Inc., ProLogis Inc.
The Harvard Law alum sits on the boards of Freeport-McMoRan Inc. and ProLogis Inc. At Freeport-McMoRan, she is vice chair of the corporate responsibility committee and is a member of the nominating and corporate governance committee. In 2004, she was appointed to the board of ProLogis, where she is chairman of the board governance and nomination committee.
Paula A. Price, Senior Lecturer, Harvard Business School
Boards: Accenture PLC, Dollar General Corporation
Price’s financial know-how landed her on the boards of Accenture PLC, where she serves on the audit and compensation committee, and Dollar General Corporation,
where she serves on the audit committee. Prior to teaching business administration, she was executive vice president and chief financial officer of Ahold USA, Inc., a supermarket company based in Massachusetts.Joyce M. Roché, Retired President and CEO, Girls, Incorporated
Boards: AT&T Inc., Dr. Pepper Snapple Group
Roché, an accomplished nonprofit and marketing executive and author, has been a board member at AT&T Inc. since 1998. She is chairperson of the human resources committee and a member of the corporate governance and nominating committee and the executive committee. In 2011, she was appointed to the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, because of her executive management and marketing experience. There, she serves on the compensation committee.
Paula A. Sneed, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Phelps Prescott Group, LLC
Boards: Charles Schwab Corporation, TE Connectivity Ltd.
For over 30 years, Sneed has cemented herself as an expert in marketing and general management, as she held various executive roles at Kraft Foods. Her success in those titles led her to be appointed at Charles Schwab Corporation in 2002 and TE Connectivity Ltd. in 2007. At Schwab, she sits on the compensation committee and the nominating and corporate governance committee. At TE Connectivity, she serves on the management development and compensation committee.
Kathy N. Waller, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, The Coca-Cola Company
Boards: Delta Air Lines, Monster Beverage Corporation
Waller joined Coca-Cola in 1987 as a senior accountant, and she has advanced since. Currently, she is responsible for leading the company’s global finance organization while also overseeing investor relations, tax, treasury, audit, and accounting units. This longstanding financial career matched with her talent and knowledge led her to Delta Airlines board of directors in 2015, where she sits on the corporate governance and finance committees. She also joined Monster Beverage Corporation’s board in 2015.
Robin L. Washington, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, Gilead Sciences Inc.
Boards: Honeywell International, Salesforce.com
When Washington was appointed to Honeywell International’s board in 2013, CEO Dave Cote noted that it was because of her strong business and financial acumen, and her extensive experience in corporate governance, investor relations, and information technology at large, multinational companies. There, she sits on the audit committee. At Salesforce.com, she also lends her financial expertise to the audit and finance committee.