Ulrika Ekman
Ulrika Ekman, 58, is an experienced board member with a background in financial and professional services, including mergers and acquisitions, governance, and strategic planning. Ms. Ekman currently serves as an
The annual Board Institute is a key way in which DirectWomen fulfills its mission.
Nearly 40% of DirectWomen alumni have been elected to serve on at least one corporate board, with alumni serving on over 210 total corporate boards, since the organization’s inception.
The application for the 2025 Board Institute is now closed. Please email yechevarria@directwomen.org to be notified when our application for 2026 opens.
More than 285 lawyers have participated in the Board Institute over the past 18 years and provide a rich pool of director candidates. Past Board Institute classes have been comprised of General Counsel of Fortune 500 companies, partners at top law firms, and leading lawyers from government and academia. These distinguished lawyers represent a wide range of business knowledge and experience in their industries, which include finance, energy, retail, media, and pharmaceuticals, among others. To learn more about DirectWomen’s Board Institute alumni, visit our alumni biography and resume database.
SUCCESS STORIES
Lily Yan Hughes
Independent Director; Chair, Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee, and Member, Compensation Committee, NUBURU, Inc. (NYSE American: BURU). NUBURU uses ground-breaking technology to transform a new class of high-power, high-performance blue
Laura Franco
A C-Suite executive, Laura Franco brings more than 25 years of public company experience including mergers and acquisitions, international expansions, corporate governance, and SEC and other public company compliance matters.