Sandra Day O’Connor Board Excellence Award Luncheon

DirectWomen hosts the annual Sandra Day O’Connor Board Excellence Award Luncheon to honor lawyer directors and excellence in board service. The 2026 Sandra Day O’Connor Board Excellence Award Luncheon will be held on Friday, October 9, 2026, in New York City.

Attending the Sandra Day O’Connor Board Excellence Award Luncheon not only supports DirectWomen’s mission of increasing the representation of women attorneys on corporate boards, but also provides an excellent opportunity for attendees to network with leading CEOs, directors, search firm executives, DirectWomen alumnae and honorees, and other prominent lawyers.

PAST HONOREES

Sandra Day O’Connor Board Excellence Award Honorees

The Sandra Day O’Connor Board Excellence Award is presented to women lawyers who have served with distinction as independent directors of public companies and exemplify the manner in which Sandra Day O’Connor led her life, paving new paths for the women who came after her.

Distinguished Alumna Award Honorees

The Distinguished Alumna Award honors a DirectWomen Board Institute Alumna who exemplifies the talents and accomplishments of our Alumnae and has joined at least one large corporate board since completing the Institute. 

Ruth Bader Ginsburg Corporate Board Award Honorees

The Ruth Bader Ginsburg Corporate Board Award honors corporations for excellence in corporate governance, as illustrated by the critical mass of women directors on their boards, which include at least one lawyer-director.

Mary Ann Jorgenson Board Empowerment Award Honorees

The Mary Ann Jorgenson Board Empowerment Award was created to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of DirectWomen and to honor the co-founder of DirectWomen, for whom the award is named.

At the Luncheon, DirectWomen will present the following awards to our distinguished 2026 honorees:

The Sandra Day O’Connor Board Excellence Award, presented to lawyers who have served with distinction as directors of public companies and exemplify the manner in which Sandra Day O’Connor led her life, paving new paths for the women who came after her.
Portrait of a professional woman with short brown hair, wearing a black blazer and a necklace, set against a gray background.
Ambassador Ertharin Cousin

Ambassador Ertharin Cousin currently serves as the Managing Director and CEO of FSF Ventures, an impact investment fund, and as the CEO of Food Systems for the Future Institute, the Fund’s sister nonprofit. Each organization supports her vision of a world without hunger and malnutrition. Ambassador Cousin also serves as a Distinguished Fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs; a Bosch Academy, Robert Weizsäcker Fellow; and as a Visiting Scholar at the Stanford University, Center on Food Security and Environment. Read More >>

A woman with long, dark hair smiling in a professional setting, wearing a patterned blouse.
Suzanne Rich Folsom

Suzanne Rich Folsom is a seasoned independent board director, C-suite executive, and influential business leader, who brings a distinctive global perspective. She is an internationally recognized corporate governance and compliance expert with extensive transformation and restructuring experience, assisting public and private companies as well as multilateral organizations during challenging and unprecedented times. Read More >>

The Distinguished Alumna Award, honoring a DirectWomen Board Institute Alumna who exemplifies the talents and accomplishments of our Alumni and who has joined at least one large corporate board since completing the Institute.
Professional portrait of a woman in a black suit with a white collared shirt, wearing pearl earrings, against a neutral background.
Teresa M. Sebastian

Teresa Sebastian is a C-Suite executive and Board member. She has spent two decades in boardrooms driving strategy, participating in the creation of shareholder value, and implementing best practices. Read More >>

The Ruth Bader Ginsburg Corporate Board Award, honors corporations for excellence in corporate governance, as illustrated by the critical mass of women directors on their boards, which include at least one lawyer-director.
Logo of Broadridge Financial Solutions on a blue background.
Broadridge Financial

DirectWomen is proud to present its 2026 Ruth Bader Ginsburg Corporate Board Award to Broadridge Financial, a global technology leader with trusted expertise and transformative technology, helping clients and the financial services industry operate, innovate, and grow.

Led by CEO Timothy C. Gokey, the company has demonstrated a strong commitment to bringing varied
voices into the boardroom. Notably, the Broadridge board of directors is comprised of 50 percent women
directors, including Board Chair, Eileen K. Murray, and Independent Director Annette L. Nazareth, a
lawyer and DirectWomen Board Institute Alumna.

Save The Date

The 2026 Sandra Day O’Connor Board Excellence Award Luncheon
will be held on October 9, 2026.

If you would like to sponsor DirectWomen and reserve a table for your firm or company for the 2026 Luncheon, please contact DirectWomen’s Executive Director, Shawn Taylor Kaminski

Contact Us

Direct Women is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit under EIN 83-3461885.

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