Catherine Sazdanoff
Catherine is a board member and consultant with extensive global healthcare experience. She is an independent director of the Board of Meridian Bioscience, Inc. (NASDAQ: VIVO) and of Vascugen, Inc.
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 DirectWomen’s 2026 Board Institute is now open! Please contact Yessenia Echevarria at yechevarria@directwomen.org for more information.
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
Susan H. Alexander
Susan H. Alexander is Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Corporate Secretary of Biogen. Biogen is a global Fortune 500 global biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing, and marketing
Carla Newell
Carla Newell is a seasoned business leader and experienced board director with more than 30 years of success facilitating growth in the technology and digital business arena. Ms. Newell has