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About this event
This discussion focuses on evaluating the suitability of serving on a public board versus a private company board, and how to strategically approach board membership to enhance your career. We will delve into essential considerations, including:
Public vs. Private Boards: Assessing which type of board aligns better with your career stage and objectives.
Career Impact: Exploring how board membership can enhance your career trajectory and professional network.
Building a Portfolio of Boards: Understanding that a diversified board portfolio requires a distinct and strategic plan.
Value Proposition: Defining and articulating your unique value proposition across bios and online platforms.
Leveraging Your Network: Thoughtfully utilizing your network to support your board membership ambitions.
By addressing these key areas, this discussion aims to help you make informed decisions that support your professional growth and goals.
Experts
Amy Karn Executive Recruiter & Consultant & Director, Board of Practice
Amy Karn is a consultant and member of Spencer Stuart’s Boards Practice. She is passionate about helping organizations find and recruit board members who will help them drive results and create a lasting, positive impact on their organization. Amy often works with companies who need help diversifying their boardrooms, are undergoing technology transformations, or are dealing with digital disruption. She works across sectors including technology, media, communications, consumer, retail, education, and financial services.
Extensive board recruiting and governance experience
Throughout her 24 years at Spencer Stuart, Amy has been part of over 900 board assignments. Her diverse client portfolio ranges from global Fortune 10 corporations to pre-IPO businesses including leading technology companies in Silicon Valley and Seattle.
Amy has assisted clients through numerous boardroom situations including activist shareholders, IPO board builds, spin-off board builds, bankruptcy board builds and multi-year, long term board succession.
Amy has worked with clients in Japan, the United Kingdom., Germany, Switzerland, Spain and France to help recruit U.S. executives to the board to bring new perspectives.
Prior to joining Spencer Stuart, Amy was the director of research for a Philadelphia-based boutique executive search firm.
Amy is a graduate of Rutgers University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in history from Rutgers College followed by a master’s in library service. A believer in the importance of music programs in public education, Amy has been an officer for several public school music booster organizations.
Hosts
Erin Essenmacher Chief Strategy and Experience Officer
Erin Essenmacher has 25 years of experience in media, education strategy and corporate governance. She has written, directed, and produced films for PBS, the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, the History Channel, and CNN, and worked with brands like Sony, Apple, Acura, and The Gap.
Over the last decade Erin served on the executive leadership team National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) where she was responsible for the design and delivery of board member training, new product development, organizational strategy and thought leadership innovation. In her role, Erin focused on helping directors make sense of the changing role of the board and how it impacts their mandate, including a deeper understanding of ESG, cyber security, regulatory risk, geopolitical disruption, diversity, culture and digital transformation. During her tenure, Erin helped double NACD membership and drove a 400% growth in education revenue.
Her new venture, The Brigh Group helps organizations develop or reimagine content strategy, growth through partnership and better corporate governance. She is also the founder of Feisty Aphrodite, which focuses on original content creation and advising organizations and other makers on media and content strategy.
Erin has been a frequent speaker on corporate governance, strategy and risk oversight, presenting at industry meetings and conferences and as a regular contributor to Directors and Boards magazine. She has served on boards across sectors including as director for the iconic clothing retailer EILEEN FISHER where she chaired the People and Culture committee and helped lead design of the CEO succession plan. She currently sits on the board of Docs in Progress and the Advisory Board for the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University
Tue, Jul 09 @ 12:00pm PT (0.75 hrs)
VIRTUAL (Join us remotely! RSVP for link)
Members Only
Salon
Upcoming Events
Join us for a Salon or Meetup to get a peek inside our community! Peer Groups and Learning Circles are exclusively for members - log in here
- ALL events
- A Look Inside Athena
- Peer Group
- Salon
- Meetup
- Orientation
A Look Inside Athena
A Look Inside Athena is held monthly for prospect members to come and understand how Athena works. They will learn more about the backstory of Athena, see a tour of our platform, and have the opportunity to discuss more of what they are interested in and ask questions about joining our community.
Salons
Learn about the most pressing topics facing executives today in an intimate, yet casual, virtual setting. Hosted by board directors and leaders from the world's top brands.
Meetups
Gather with Athena members in your area for a casual, in-person Meetup. These are planned by request and hosted by Athena members in various cities. If you're interested in hosting and/or joining a meetup in the future, reach out to the Member Success Team and let them know.
Peer Groups
We have an incredible community of female leaders at Athena and we want to bring you closer together! Join a Peer Group and build a network of peers you can engage with for guidance, lessons learned and insights around a shared interest. Choose a topic that most interests you or drop in and out of multiple peer groups as it suits you best. You’ll find at least one peer group available to join every week. Each live session goes for one hour, no preparation is needed, just show up as you are. We look forward to seeing you there!
Learning Circles
A Learning Circle is an opportunity to connect with a small group of other Athena members in a focused yet casual setting, creating accountability around targeted learning to assist you in achieving your goals. Over the course of 6 sessions, club members will meet every 2 weeks to participate in an organic, peer-led discussion of the session's "chapters" consisting of 1-2 Athena salons which are to be reviewed on your own prior to the group session. When joining, members are committing to completing all 6 sessions.
Guided Networking
Typically led by one of Athena's coaches, networking events provide members an opportunity to meet one another in a smaller intimate and virtual setting.
Partner Events
These are typically in-person events led by Coco and our partnering companies on topics that are relevant to the industry and audience of our business partners.
Workshops
A workshop is an interactive session for members to actively practice something, such as their pitch. These sessions typically involve breakout rooms, member to member feedback and are not recorded.
Orientations
For members new to Athena looking for ways to engage, these bi-weekly orientations led by an Athena Member Success Manager, provide a live tour of Athena, member success insights, and a chance to get questions answered.
Enterprise Events
Athena customizes virtual learning events with expert business leaders tailored to a unique company’s needs. These events cultivate cross-functional community, development, and learning across the partner organization.
Other
Athena listens and we're always adding new event types and opportunities for members to engage. See what new events we are currently offering members.
No Upcoming Events Found.
Orientation
Athena Member Orientation
Host: Athena Member Success Manager
Meetup
In Person: An Intimate Dinner in Alpharetta, GA (6:00-8:00 PM ET)
Host: Marva Bailer
Meetup
In Person: Accoutrements And Artificial Intelligence in Los Angeles, CA (6:00-8:00 PM PT)
Host: Jeanine Wright
Experts: Erica Mandy
Salon
The Role and Impact of Advisory Boards
Host: Coco Brown
Experts: Betsy Atkins
Peer Group
Building a Company
Host: Gabriela Aneas
Experts: Coco Brown
Salon
Leading Under Pressure: How to Master Stress for Executive Success
Host: Coco Brown
Experts: Cindy Montgenie
Peer Group
Sales and Marketing Leaders
Host: Analuisa Martinez
Experts: Rebecca Jones
Peer Group
Nom/Gov Committee
Host: Cristina Scharffenorth
Experts: Karen Cone
Peer Group
Navigating a Career Transition
Host: Analuisa Martinez
Experts: Cate Goethals
Meetup
In Person: Impact Circle in Seattle, WA (5:00-7:00 PM PT)
Host: Gavriella Schuster
Experts: Coco Brown
Peer Group
Audit Committee - How AI Will Transform the Audit Committee
Host: Gabriela Aneas
Experts: Carol Coughlin, Katrinka McCallum
Salon
Unleash Your Impact
Host: Coco Brown
Experts: Jocelyn King
Salon
CHRO Perspectives with Lisa Buckingham, CHRO at U.S. Soccer Federation
Host: Coco Brown
Experts: Lisa Bettinger-Buckingham, Belen Gomez
Orientation
Athena Member Orientation
Host: Athena Member Success Manager
Peer Group
The Board and Beyond for Women in Law
Host: Gabriela Aneas
Experts: Alice Brennan
Peer Group
Athena's Book Club - Currently reading "Co-intelligence: Living and Working with AI" by Ethan Mollick
Host: Cristina Scharffenorth
Experts: Anna Goranson, Mirna Daouk
Salon
Experienced Board Director AMA with Margaret Lazo
Host: Coco Brown
Experts: Margaret Lazo
Meetup
In Person: A Coaching Walk with Sheryl Kline in San Diego, CA (5:00-6:30 PM PT)
Host: Sheryl Kline, M.A.
Meetup
In Person: Rocky Mountains Meetup in Denver, CO (6:00-8:00 PM MT)
Host: Stephanie Beguin
A Look Inside Athena
A Look Inside Athena
Host: Coco Brown
Salon
Ripped from the Headlines: Risk, Crisis & Tech Governance in Turbulent Times
Host: Coco Brown
Experts: Andrea Bonime-Blanc
Peer Group
Board Readiness Course Alumnae
Host: Erin Essenmacher
Peer Group
Engineering and Product Leadership
Host: Cristina Scharffenorth
Experts: SuiLin Yap
Salon
How Private Equity Firms Think About Portfolio Companies at Different Growth Stages
Host: Coco Brown
Experts: Tara Zahiri, Tolliver Brown
Peer Group
Unleash Your Impact Alumnae
Host: Jocelyn King
Peer Group
Fractional Executives
Host: Cristina Scharffenorth
Experts: Caitlin Sachdev, Shelly Morales
Salon
Standing on Bigger Stages - Auditing Your Readiness
Host: Coco Brown
Experts: Shelley Dolley
Meetup
In-Person: Off the Grid Wine Tasting in Atlanta, GA (6:00-8:00 PM ET)
Host: Erin Brown
Peer Group
Compensation Committee
Host: Analuisa Martinez
Experts: Suja Chandrasekaran
Peer Group
Life Sciences Professionals
Host: Analuisa Martinez
Experts: Barbara Troupin
Peer Group
First Time Board Members
Host: Gabriela Aneas
Experts: Cate Goethals
Orientation
Athena Member Orientation
Host: Athena Member Success Manager
Peer Group
HR Leadership
Host: Cristina Scharffenorth
Experts: Geoff Balzano
Peer Group
Black Women Thriving
Host: Gabriela Aneas
Experts: Julianna Hynes, Maeve Richard
Salon
Looking Inwards to go Upward
Host: Aysha Khan
Experts: Coco Brown
Salon
Soft Power: A Sustainable Approach to Leadership
Host: Coco Brown
Experts: Elizabeth Raynor, CHPC, BCHN
Salon
CEO Perspectives with Shelley Zalis, CEO of The Female Quotient
Host: Coco Brown
Experts: Shelley Zalis
Peer Group
Building a Company
Host: Gabriela Aneas
Experts: Coco Brown
Peer Group
Nom/Gov Committee
Host: Cristina Scharffenorth
Experts: Karen Cone
Peer Group
Navigating a Career Transition
Host: Analuisa Martinez
Experts: Cate Goethals
Salon
Financing for Small to Mid-Cap Diversity-Owned Businesses
Host: Coco Brown
Experts: Yuriko Mita
Peer Group
Sales and Marketing Leaders
Host: Analuisa Martinez
Experts: Rebecca Jones
Salon
Rockstar CFO with Tricia Tolivar, CFO of Cava
Host: Tricia Tolivar
Experts: Erin Essenmacher
Orientation
Athena Member Orientation
Host: Athena Member Success Manager
Peer Group
The Board and Beyond for Women in Law
Host: Gabriela Aneas
Experts: Alice Brennan
Salon
CHRO Perspectives with Tina Jones, Senior Vice President, Global Human Resources at Cadence Design Systems
Host: Coco Brown
Experts: Belen Gomez, Tina Jones
Peer Group
Athena's Book Club
Host: Cristina Scharffenorth
Experts: Anna Goranson, Mirna Daouk
Salon
Experienced Board Director AMA with Sheila Bangalore
Host: Coco Brown
Experts: Sheila Bangalore
Salon
Ripped from the Headlines: Risk, Crisis & Tech Governance in Turbulent Times
Host: Coco Brown
Experts: Andrea Bonime-Blanc
Peer Group
Board Readiness Course Alumnae
Host: Erin Essenmacher
Peer Group
Engineering and Product Leadership
Host: Cristina Scharffenorth
Experts: SuiLin Yap
Meetup
In Person: Sip and Inspire in Miami, FL (5:00-7:00 PM ET)
Host: Tami Reiss
Experts: Erin Essenmacher
Peer Group
Fractional Executives
Host: Cristina Scharffenorth
Experts: Caitlin Sachdev, Shelly Morales
Peer Group
Unleash Your Impact Alumnae
Host: Jocelyn King
Salon
Learning to Take Risks as a Woman
Host: Coco Brown
Experts: Karen Bulluck
Meetup
In Person: A Walk in Central Park in New York, NY (6:00-8:00 PM ET)
Host: Neeha Curtis
Experts: Rachel Owens
Salon
CEO Perspectives with Richard Ridinger, Chairman of the Board at Brenntag and Recipharm
Host: Coco Brown
Experts: Richard Ridinger
A Look Inside Athena
A Look Inside Athena
Host: Coco Brown
Peer Group
Experienced Investors
Host: Gabriela Aneas
Experts: Lilia Shirman, Shauna Turner
Peer Group
Life Sciences Professionals
Host: Analuisa Martinez
Experts: Barbara Troupin
Peer Group
Succeeding in Your First Board Role
Host: Gabriela Aneas
Experts: Cate Goethals
Orientation
Athena Member Orientation
Host: Athena Member Success Manager
Peer Group
HR Leadership
Host: Cristina Scharffenorth
Experts: Geoff Balzano
Peer Group
Black Women Thriving
Host: Gabriela Aneas
Experts: Julianna Hynes, Maeve Richard
Meetup
In Person: Connect with Coco in Moss Beach, CA (5:00-8:00 PM PT)
Host: Coco Brown
Peer Group
Building a Company
Host: Gabriela Aneas
Experts: Coco Brown
Peer Group
Audit Committee
Host: Gabriela Aneas
Experts: Carol Coughlin, Katrinka McCallum
Salon
Miracles, Mysteries, and Motivation
Host: Erin Essenmacher
Experts: Maryann Bruce
Peer Group
Sales and Marketing Leaders
Host: Analuisa Martinez
Experts: Rebecca Jones
Peer Group
Nom/Gov Committee
Host: Cristina Scharffenorth
Experts: Karen Cone
Peer Group
Navigating a Career Transition
Host: Analuisa Martinez
Experts: Cate Goethals
Orientation
Athena Member Orientation
Host: Athena Member Success Manager
Peer Group
Athena's Book Club
Host: Cristina Scharffenorth
Experts: Anna Goranson, Mirna Daouk
Peer Group
The Board and Beyond for Women in Law
Host: Gabriela Aneas
Experts: Alice Brennan
Peer Group
Engineering and Product Leadership
Host: Cristina Scharffenorth
Experts: SuiLin Yap
Peer Group
Fractional Executives
Host: Cristina Scharffenorth
Experts: Caitlin Sachdev, Shelly Morales
Peer Group
Unleash Your Impact Alumnae
Host: Jocelyn King
A Look Inside Athena
A Look Inside Athena
Host: Coco Brown
Peer Group
Compensation Committee
Host: Analuisa Martinez
Experts: Suja Chandrasekaran
Salon
Ripped from the Headlines: Risk, Crisis & Tech Governance in Turbulent Times
Host: Coco Brown
Experts: Andrea Bonime-Blanc
Orientation
Athena Member Orientation
Host: Athena Member Success Manager
Peer Group
Board Readiness Course Alumnae
Host: Erin Essenmacher
Peer Group
Black Women Thriving
Host: Gabriela Aneas
Experts: Julianna Hynes, Maeve Richard
Salon
Establishing Your Executive Presence
Host: Erin Essenmacher
Experts: Kathryn Vandiver
Meetup
In Person: Colorado Convention in Denver, CO (6:00-8:00 PM MT)
Host: Courtney Harrison
Experts: Coco Brown
Peer Group
Building a Company
Host: Gabriela Aneas
Experts: Coco Brown
Peer Group
Life Sciences Professionals
Host: Analuisa Martinez
Experts: Barbara Troupin
Peer Group
Succeeding in Your First Board Role
Host: Gabriela Aneas
Experts: Cate Goethals
Peer Group
HR Leadership
Host: Cristina Scharffenorth
Experts: Geoff Balzano
Salon
CHRO Perspectives with Sheri Bronstein, Chief Human Resources Officer at Bank of America
Host: Coco Brown
Experts: Sheri Bronstein, Belen Gomez
Peer Group
Sales and Marketing Leaders
Host: Analuisa Martinez
Experts: Rebecca Jones
Peer Group
Nom/Gov Committee
Host: Cristina Scharffenorth
Experts: Karen Cone
Peer Group
Navigating a Career Transition
Host: Analuisa Martinez
Experts: Cate Goethals
Orientation
Athena Member Orientation
Host: Athena Member Success Manager
Peer Group
The Board and Beyond for Women in Law
Host: Gabriela Aneas
Experts: Alice Brennan
Peer Group
Athena's Book Club
Host: Cristina Scharffenorth
Experts: Anna Goranson, Mirna Daouk
A Look Inside Athena
A Look Inside Athena
Host: Coco Brown
Peer Group
Experienced Investors
Host: Gabriela Aneas
Experts: Lilia Shirman, Shauna Turner
Salon
Ripped from the Headlines: Risk, Crisis & Tech Governance in Turbulent Times
Host: Coco Brown
Experts: Andrea Bonime-Blanc
Orientation
Athena Member Orientation
Host: Athena Member Success Manager
Peer Group
Board Readiness Course Alumnae
Host: Erin Essenmacher
Peer Group
Engineering and Product Leadership
Host: Cristina Scharffenorth
Experts: SuiLin Yap
Peer Group
Fractional Executives
Host: Cristina Scharffenorth
Experts: Caitlin Sachdev, Shelly Morales
Peer Group
Unleash Your Impact Alumnae
Host: Jocelyn King
Peer Group
Life Sciences Professionals
Host: Analuisa Martinez
Experts: Barbara Troupin
Peer Group
Succeeding in Your First Board Role
Host: Gabriela Aneas
Experts: Cate Goethals
Peer Group
HR Leadership
Host: Cristina Scharffenorth
Experts: Geoff Balzano
Peer Group
Black Women Thriving
Host: Gabriela Aneas
Experts: Julianna Hynes, Maeve Richard
Peer Group
Nom/Gov Committee
Host: Cristina Scharffenorth
Experts: Karen Cone
Peer Group
Navigating a Career Transition
Host: Analuisa Martinez
Experts: Cate Goethals
Orientation
Athena Member Orientation
Host: Athena Member Success Manager
Peer Group
Audit Committee
Host: Gabriela Aneas
Experts: Carol Coughlin, Katrinka McCallum
Peer Group
Sales and Marketing Leaders
Host: Analuisa Martinez
Experts: Rebecca Jones
Peer Group
The Board and Beyond for Women in Law
Host: Gabriela Aneas
Experts: Alice Brennan
Peer Group
Athena's Book Club
Host: Cristina Scharffenorth
Experts: Anna Goranson, Mirna Daouk
Salon
Ripped from the Headlines: Risk, Crisis & Tech Governance in Turbulent Times
Host: Coco Brown
Experts: Andrea Bonime-Blanc
Orientation
Athena Member Orientation
Host: Athena Member Success Manager
Peer Group
Board Readiness Course Alumnae
Host: Erin Essenmacher
Peer Group
Engineering and Product Leadership
Host: Cristina Scharffenorth
Experts: SuiLin Yap
Peer Group
Fractional Executives
Host: Cristina Scharffenorth
Experts: Caitlin Sachdev, Shelly Morales
Peer Group
Unleash Your Impact Alumnae
Host: Jocelyn King
A Look Inside Athena
A Look Inside Athena
Host: Coco Brown
Peer Group
Compensation Committee
Host: Analuisa Martinez
Experts: Suja Chandrasekaran
Peer Group
Life Sciences Professionals
Host: Analuisa Martinez
Experts: Barbara Troupin
Peer Group
Succeeding in Your First Board Role
Host: Gabriela Aneas
Experts: Cate Goethals
Peer Group
HR Leadership
Host: Cristina Scharffenorth
Experts: Geoff Balzano
Peer Group
Building a Company
Host: Gabriela Aneas
Experts: Coco Brown
Orientation
Athena Member Orientation
Host: Athena Member Success Manager
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