Next cohort starts Sept 24
9-week virtual course
20 in-class hours
Taught by leading board experts
Certificate of completion
Comprehensive support for your board journey
- Weekly live sessions with board experts to learn a holistic view of the modern boardroom
- Weekly office hours to ask follow-up questions and get extra support from experienced board directors
- Ongoing course access to revisit key topics and stay engaged with the community
- Quarterly exclusive, intimate salons led by industry experts
- Certificate of completion + a digital badge of completion to upload to your LinkedIn profile
Next cohort starts Sept 24
Boardroom intelligence for today’s leaders
Understanding the boardroom is no longer optional for today’s senior leaders and entrepreneurs. Whether you’re pursuing a board seat, preparing for the C-suite, scaling a business, or seeking a deeper grasp of governance, this course equips you with the insights and tools to lead effectively at the highest levels.
Through expert-led, highly interactive modules taught by experienced board directors, you’ll explore how boards really work—beyond the basics. From governance structures to evolving board dynamics, the program gives you a 360° view of the modern boardroom and its critical role in shaping business strategy.
Backed by Athena’s powerful executive community, this course is more than board readiness—it’s a launchpad for advancing your influence, strengthening your leadership, and driving impact wherever you sit.
Gain a holistic view of the modern boardroom
We’ve supported over 500 women to boards including Zillow, Bose, Carlotz, PNC Bank, Dropbox, Noodles & Co., and more. We can’t wait to support you, too.
This 9-week course is fully remote with weekly sessions (ranging from 2 to 3½ hours) held over Zoom.
You’ll leave with a deeper understanding of the role of the board, your role as a director, how the board operates, and how to position yourself for a board seat, including…
- The landscape: 125k+ board-relevant companies (public, PE/VC-backed, ESOPs, family-owned, etc.)—and how ownership model shapes director needs and search paths.
- Board architecture & roles: structures (fiduciary vs. advisory), director duties, and how boards actually oversee strategy, risk, and performance.
- Committees that matter: Audit, Comp, N&G—plus Risk/Tech—charters, rhythms, and what “good” looks like.
- Leading from the board (vs. the C-suite): influence without line authority and partnering well with executives.
- Boardroom dynamics & culture: chair–CEO interplay, independence, decision flow, and healthy challenge.
- Targeting & fit: Map industries, stage, and ownership; time/comp expectations; identify your board match.
- Positioning & materials: Board value proposition; board bio/resume; crisp LinkedIn signaling that says “director,” not “operator.”
- Market access: Smart networking into closed networks (PE/VC, banks, search firms), plus a visibility plan that earns pull-through.
Meet our board experts
Learn governance best practices from the brightest minds in the modern boardroom. We’ve handpicked experienced board directors from the Athena network who will offer highly practical insights and behind-the-scenes wisdom you won’t find anywhere else.
Athena Alliance is a tremendous resource and network for board directors, giving busy executives support throughout their board career – from building a board bio and positioning to providing industry and governance details. Athena is my trusted resource for board insights and world-class networking.
Who should apply
- Current and aspiring board directors
- Leaders seeking to expand their network to secure a board opportunity
- Executives aiming to deepen their boardroom knowledge as they advance toward the C-suite
- Entrepreneurs who want to leverage boardroom insights to drive strategy, gain support, and fuel sustainable growth
Have questions? Talk to a member of our team.
Athena Alliance has provided me with an amazing network of women who are actively serving on boards. Learning from their real-world experiences has been invaluable in preparing me for my own board search.
Athena Alliance has provided me with an amazing network of women who are actively serving on boards. Learning from their real-world experiences has been invaluable in preparing me for my own board search.
From an Athena Board Match client: Athena does important work of identifying, preparing, and educating executives for board roles (public, private, and not-for-profit). Athena has helped me identify well-qualified executives for open board roles. The team is responsive and on point with candidate suggestions and have become my “go to” as soon as I get a board assignment.
Accelerate your career with Athena Academy
Athena Academy brings together community and learning in an intimate setting, while delivering everything you need to know about what the job entails and requires – whether you’re striving for the C-suite or boardroom or simply want overall executive development. These courses will arm you with a toolkit to successfully land the role you’re seeking. You can connect live with other members, learn from and ask questions to experts who’ve “been there, done that”, and accelerate your journey to reaching your career goal – all within Athena Academy. More courses launching soon.