Board Institute

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 closedPlease 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

Priscilla Almodovar

Priscilla brings over 30 years of expertise in finance, real estate, banking and community development across a number of leading institutions and organizations. Her executive leadership roles in the private,

Andrea L. Zopp

Ms. Zopp is an accomplished executive and board member. She has been a transformational CEO at two organizations and has served as General Counsel and Chief Human Resources Officer in

Marcia Backus

Marcia E. Backus is Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, and Chief Compliance Officer at Occidental Petroleum Corporation, where she is responsible for the company’s global Law and Compliance