Diane Honda is a public board director and CXO who accelerates growth for mid to large technology companies
by creating the people, operational, and governance frameworks needed to scale. Diane currently serves on the Board and Compensation Committee of The Hillman Group (Nasdaq: HLMN), a leading provider of retail building solutions, and on the Board and Audit Committee of Lucidworks, Inc., a provider of next- generation AI-powered search applications. She most recently served as the Chief Administrative Officer for Barracuda Networks, a cybersecurity and data protection company with over $600M in annual revenue. She brings specific expertise in culture/talent, cybersecurity, M&A, IPOs, private equity, ESG, and risk management.
As CAO for Barracuda, Diane was a key member of team who led the 2013 IPO, and more recently oversaw the company’s acquisition by the leading private equity firm KKR. During her tenure, Diane guided the company through a 400% revenue growth and 240% adjusted EBITA expansion, and structured and led 11 revenue-accretive acquisitions. Diane was responsible for leading the company’s Human Resources, Legal, Information Security, Compliance, and Real Estate departments She provided thought leadership and oversight on operational and business risk, mergers and acquisitions, cybersecurity and data privacy, corporate culture, benefits and compensation, succession planning, ethics, and corporate governance.
In her role as Corporate Secretary, Diane provides guidance on board restructuring, activist shareholders, and corporate governance and has expertise in the areas of employee and public relations, crisis management, and public company compliance.
Prior to joining Barracuda, Diane held executive roles leading technical and business operations organizations in Fortune 50, private, and mid-size public companies, in the areas of software engineering, quality assurance, information systems, human resources, channel marketing, financial services, and real estate. Diane has also owned and managed the financial, operational, and legal aspects of a retail business located in California, with growing revenue in excess of $5M annually.
Diane recently joined the Board of Team4Tech, a non-profit organization dedicated to bridging the digital gap in education for under-resourced learners worldwide by providing technology, training, and opportunities never before possible. Diane has served on the Board of Directors of Java Joy, a non-profit organization committed to providing meaningful employment for adults with disabilities, and as an elected Trustee on the Governing Board of the Las Lomitas School District in Menlo Park, CA, serving as its President and Clerk during her eight-year term. Diane collaborated with District leadership on financial, labor, and safety matters and under her leadership, the Board successfully raised $130M in public bonds to finance significant improvements and modernization to the school’s technology, infrastructure, and facilities. Diane also previously served on the Board, Executive Committee, and Audit Committee of the Las Lomitas Educational Foundation, a non-profit organization which raises over $2M annually to support high quality public education. She established the necessary financial and business controls to successfully complete the Foundation’s first external financial audit.
In 2019, Diane was recognized as one of the Silicon Valley Business Journal’s 100 Women of Influence. She also received the General Counsel Impact Award from The Recorder, an ALM publication, in 2013 for her leadership and guidance on Barracuda Networks’ IPO. Ms. Honda is an Alumnae of the DirectWomen Board Institute Program (2019).
Diane holds a JD from Santa Clara University School of Law and Bachelor of Science degrees in Applied Math/Computer Science and Industrial Management from Carnegie Mellon.