“The candidate pool at WIB is outstanding. Every candidate we reviewed was highly qualified and genuinely interested and supportive of our mission. Sheila and her team were very supportive and provided guidance throughout the entire process. WIB is second to none for board directors.”
“When I learned that my board needed to recruit for a board member, I felt it would be important to involve WIB even though we were also working with an executive search firm. I wanted to ensure we received the most talented women possible to enhance the slate that we would receive from the executive search firm. The WIB board opening notification process was very straight forward, I just needed to include a description of the company; board position description & key requirements for the position."
- Pam Carlton, President of Springboard
“I was definitely impressed with the quality of the WIB members who applied for our board seat. We were very specific about the prior experience and qualifications we were looking for and were very pleased to receive a candidate portfolio where the majority of candidates met our criteria. The process for submitting a board opening with WIB is very streamlined and user friendly. I would recommend working with WIB without hesitation. In fact, I am already working with WIB on a search for another Board that I serve on.”
“The quality of the WIB members who applied for our board seat was superior. Every candidate met or exceeded the experience we were seeking. The process for submitting a board opening with WIB was easy – no hoops to jump through and great organization of the applicant responses. Don’t overlook WIB when searching for a new board director.”
“When I contacted Women in the Boardroom I was overwhelmed with qualified candidates. This was a stark contrast to my experience in forming a board nearly four years ago. The greatest difficulty I had was picking only one to fill the only vacant seat we had. In the end, we chose Ann Arnold because, in addition to being an incredibly qualified candidate, Ann brings a strong family business background and quantitative skills to our board. I know Mr. T will be a better company with the addition of Ann.”
“WIB has helped me tremendously in my pursuit and desire to become a corporate board director. As a VIP Member, I have access to the invaluable experience and guidance of Sheila and her coaches which helped me create my board profile and bio. Another VIP benefit is receiving notifications of board openings. I secured a board seat within my first year of membership because of these notifications. If it was not for WIB, I never would have known of the opportunity. I encourage anyone wanting to pursue a corporate board position to become a VIP Member.”
“Women in the Boardroom is clearly on the forefront of supporting women in their professional development and simultaneously connecting nominating committee chairs with highly qualified female candidates. Especially for those making the transition from executive to board member, WIB provides guidance to expand your network, posts notifications about board opportunities and gives access to a suite of webinars featuring experienced professionals who offer insights on topics relevant to new and experienced board members. I was excited to see the WIB notification about the board opportunity at Ocean Power Technologies - and thrilled to have been selected for the role. Thanks to WIB for helping propel women into the boardroom!"
“As a VIP member of WIB one of the many benefits of membership is being notified of various board openings. One of the board openings that came through was for a mutual fund, Columbia Threadneedle, and I am thrilled that I am now on their board of directors. I am extremely grateful to WIB for making this possible. I would not have known of this opportunity nor been able to apply for the position had it not been for WIB. In addition, the advice from Sheila Ronning and the board and executive coaches, and the knowledge provided through their webinars really helped me. I will continue to be a VIP member and I encourage anyone else seeking a corporate board seat to join as well.”
“Women In the Boardroom has helped me in the 3 areas - educating me in the topics that are of essence to paid board service via presentations, webinars and quick tips, connecting me to other women who serve on boards, and connecting me to board openings. As I mentioned, I have had a third and final interview for a corporate board seat and I await the outcome. This would not have happened had I not joined WIB.”
"Women in the Boardroom allowed me to better understand the competition for a relatively small number of roles on corporate boards as compared to the potential candidates. It is a challenge to get through the boardroom door, NOT with WIB and Sheila Ronning. The WIB has made it possible for women to demonstrate proof from work experience, degrees and certifications to have access to these prized positions. WIB gives you the training, the tools, the self-confidence as well as the network to place yourself in the top tier of those being considered for board positions."
“Sheila has seen it all, she knows it all, and she’s terrific at sharing. She has a perspective that only a senior recruiter would have - even better - but Sheila works for YOU and not the company searching. I have tried a few different resources for board help over my four year journey and Women in the Boardroom is the only one I am continuing to use!”
"The strength and energy Sheila Ronning has is incredible. She builds up women more than she could ever imagine."
"Thanks for the work we did together. As a result, I joined the board of directors at Pelvital in January as their first independent director. I could not have secured this board position without the help of Sheila Ronning and Women in the Boardroom."
"I very much appreciated my connection to Women in the Boardroom. The resources and recorded webinars were excellent. The one-on-one calls were inspirational and provided advice and understanding about how I was hindering myself by not using my network appropriately."
"Sheila Ronning and the team at Women in the Boardroom were instrumental in helping me put my board documents together. I received great support from this organization and am grateful."
"My appointment to the board of directors at Spartan Motors, Inc. would not have come to fruition without the help of Sheila Ronning and the support and knowledge I received through Women in the Boardroom. This will be an incredible opportunity and I credit Sheila with being the catalyst and the expertise I needed to make it happen. Thank you so much!”
“Membership did exactly what I wanted; it gave me a process, kept me focused, AND provided access to such a wonderful and powerful network.”
Women in the Boardroom exceeded my expectations in multiple ways. I met women entrepreneurs, CEO’s, attorneys, and executives for Fortune 500 companies. As an advisory board member for four companies, I heard the reiterated message that knowledge of financials and experience with P&L’s are a must. Additionally, informing key people of your interest in a Board position is helpful. The right mentor opens doors.”
I had the pleasure of participating in the 2015 Women in the Boardroom Annual Board Assembly, and I was impressed with the organization, its members and supporters. This is truly a passionate and gifted group of individuals; the women are motivated and highly qualified for corporate board service in their respective areas of expertise. These executives and entrepreneurs are prepared to immediately bring value to boards of directors. Women in the Boardroom is an invaluable resource to everyone seriously searching to enhance any board of directors.
I was impressed by both the structure and the organization of the Annual Board Assembly and the quality of the members in attendance. The breadth and depth of their experience along with their accomplishments tell me you will be successful in achieving your organization’s goals. I support and applaud your efforts and have already developed a list of women executives that I will refer to Women in the Boardroom.
I know of no other organization whose membership is made up of as many motivated, high-caliber executives, that have desire and potential to add significant value to corporate boards. WIB and its members are definitely a force to be reckoned with.
Women in the Boardroom is an organization whose time has come. Its members are experienced, ambitious, committed and engaged. They are looking to leverage themselves for contribution to corporate boards and move the needle with respect to diversity on boards. I fully endorse the concept and mission of the organization and commend its leadership.
I very much enjoyed the sessions with your board coach. She was extremely helpful – knowledgeable, strategic, supportive – and practical! An excellent benefit offered to your VIP Members.
Being a VIP Member of Women in the Boardroom helped me develop my board portfolio and get familiar with current board issues. I found their networking process and the assistance with my elevator pitch to also be very helpful. Through WIB, I was ready and confident for board interviews and now I am excited about my new role as a public corporate board director.
When you are a busy executive, it is really hard to find the time to pursue board roles. It’s hard to filter through the noise of when you should or shouldn’t choose a board and how to select. It is also nearly impossible to find the time to network for a board seat. I then met Sheila through mutual connections and she along with the team at ‘Women in the Boardroom’ were incredible accountability partners for me. They kept me honest with my goals. They were really truthful in terms of the things that I should and shouldn’t go after. And ultimately just held my hand throughout, which was super-rewarding. I am thrilled to report that within 12 months of joining Women in the Boardroom they have helped me secure my first board role.
With a very seasoned career behind me, I made the decision that I wanted to pursue Corporate Board service but I did not know how to start the process. Then I found, Women in the Boardroom! After working with WIB I now have the portfolio of board documents needed and the knowledge of not only who in my network I should connect to but also how to connect to them. In addition, I did not realize how important it was to find a board seat that would be a good cultural fit and not only did Women in the Boardroom help me realize this but they also connected me to my very first board role that is a perfect fit.
I was referred to Women in the Boardroom by two of my colleagues who serve on boards, who have been so impressed with Women in the Boardroom and how it helped them to get onto various boards. The thing that impressed me the most is Sheila Ronning herself. Not only her connections but also the depth of knowledge she has. For those of us who are trying to get on a board for a first time, we have many different questions. We can always approach other colleagues but Women in the Boardroom is a source of concentrated information. WIB helps you think about why you want to serve, what you bring, how to position yourself and how to utilize your network. Sheila has been instrumental in helping me answer these questions but in addition, WIB also offers so many other great resources, from the webinars to the coaches. I now have a board profile that reflects who I am as a board member rather than as an executive, and I am able to clearly articulate why I want to serve. It is also very impressive the amount of companies that reach out to Women in the Boardroom when looking for board members. As a VIP member we are regularly being notified of opportunities that exist across the country in so many different industries. In less than a year, I had the opportunity to submit my name for three different board opportunities. Being a member of Women in the Boardroom provides a lot of different experiences. You really have great resources available to you. I can say, personally, this has been a great experience for me and I’m really looking forward to getting into my second year as a VIP member.
My number one goal by joining Women in the Boardroom was to get on a corporate board. I am happy to report that that my goal was totally met!
Sheila and Women in the Boardroom have been an incredible resource for me. From setting up check-ins to crafting plans of action, Sheila motivates me to stay on track to reach milestones and goals. When I was appointed to my first corporate board, I had many questions about being an effective board member. As an example, I wanted to learn more about the right ways to interact with the CEO, Chairman and the Board. Women in the Boardroom offered several avenues to get up to speed, including connections to existing public board directors and brainstorming sessions with Sheila on all types of questions I had for board membership. Through these resources, I learned a great deal and became better prepared for my first board meeting.
Another example of Women in the Boardroom being an incredible resource is when Sheila brought a VIP Member board opening notification for an online travel company to my attention and said, “Caroline, you’ve got to submit an application and apply for this. Please send in your information.” I’m excited to say that I’ve been appointed to the board of TravelZoo, and this is, again, with the help of Sheila and Women in the Boardroom. I wouldn’t have had access to this opportunity if it weren’t for the insider membership and access to board openings.
Joining WIB as a VIP Member has been one of the best things I have done in my professional life. Not only have I met amazing women (and men!) who have become my close friends, it has forced me to focus on my goal of serving on a corporate board by completing my board bio and targeting networking prospects. I highly recommend becoming a VIP Member of WIB!
I want to thank you for the amazing advice you provided me with in helping me prepare my board documents. I had procrastinated joining Women in the Boardroom as a VIP Member because I hadn't updated my resume in 20 years and it seemed like such a chore. Although it required some thought and probably a total of 20 hours over the course of the last couple of months, you made the process of getting this done so easy. Your preparation ahead of our calls exceeded my expectations, and your clear understanding of what I have accomplished in the last two decades was really insightful. You've been an amazing inspiration and mentor to me since I joined the organization and have helped prepare me for board readiness in a way I never thought possible. I am very pleased with the end-result and have recommend your fabulous organization to women preparing and applying for corporate board positions.
As a new corporate director, Women in the Boardroom (WIB) membership provided me with valuable coaching to prepare for a board role. The WIB one-on-one board coaching gave individualized advice on preparing board profiles and seeking board opportunities. Sheila Ronning is an outstanding resource for women considering corporate boards.
I was already serving on a corporate board but came to Women in the Boardroom for assistance sharpening and revising my board bio, to expand my networks and to present myself effectively for my next board seat with another public or private company.
My VIP membership has opened up a remarkable network to me that is unmatched anywhere else. I can not only meet people who know about current board opportunities, but I also am finding a circle of like-minded people who are looking to the future and will know about even greater opportunities to come. The longer I participate with Women in the Boardroom, the more people I get to know and connect with. As individual board terms expire, it’s an exceptional way to keep my name in the hat for the next opportunity.
I have recommended Women in the Boardroom as a great way to start learning about and launching a campaign to pursue board service. When I came to WIB, I didn't appreciate the difference between a standard resume and board documents. I’ve since gained that perspective by working with the WIB board coach to develop board documents and prepare for board interviews. I have also participated in search strategy-sessions to help me determine how to structure my search campaign and I’ve used data shared by WIB to identify available board seats.
The corporate board opening notifications from Women in the Boardroom are extremely valuable. Once your board bio is in order and you’re board-ready, you need these ‘leads’. These notifications from WIB, including lists of companies with an interest in or are actively seeking women board members, are very helpful. I also consider Sheila a great speaker. Every time I hear her speak or have a conversation with her, I walk away with 10 things I want to do immediately to up my game.
Board coaching helped me understand how to build a professional profile (as opposed to a board resume or bio) and got me thinking in terms of impactful skills which are transferable to the boardroom.
Aligning the goal to advance women with the needs of the members keeps Women in the Boardroom relevant. The membership benefits are broad enough to meet a variety of needs, yet flexible enough for each member to gain value in a way that makes sense for them.
I believe Women in the Boardroom has been working proactively and effectively to increase female representation on boards. Sheila has been impressive reaching out to companies to advocate adding women to their boards. She has been successful getting companies to review the very capable, experienced Women in the Boardroom candidates for their open board seats.
Over a year ago, I was told by a colleague I respect a great deal that I needed to meet Sheila Ronning and consider joining Women in the Boardroom for a myriad of reasons -- especially if my goal was corporate board service. During a frank and engaging introductory conversation, I was inspired, intrigued and knew that Sheila and WIB were going to be a tremendous asset to me as an executive in pursuit of a corporate board role. To be quite candid, I had joined WIB as a VIP Member before Sheila and I had even hung up the phone. Sheila is strength, tenacity, advocacy and resourcefulness incarnate. As the leader of Women in the Boardroom, she has created a business platform through which real progress is possible. She is all action with the requisite amount of talk. Her openness to new ideas and her ability to incorporate them without veering off her business objectives is a differentiator. I know that she is a force to be reckoned with in changing boardrooms for the better. She is a partner, advocate and often a pain in the *@# when you need that push that executives need on occasion to make transformational moves.
Your organization is professional, forward-looking and has an exceptional reputation. I would highly recommend you to my peers to help them achieve their goals.
I have served on corporate boards in the past, but Women in the Boardroom has helped me with my renewed board journey. I valued the board coaching to help prepare my board bio and consistent follow-ups to assist me with staying on track with my search. Their board opportunity notifications were helpful, as were the lists they provided VIP Members of thousands of boards who were in need of female candidates. Women in the Boardroom is truly a valuable resource with board experts who have a wealth of knowledge.
As a seasoned executive and global industry leader, I have come to recognize my strengths and am comfortable acknowledging my areas of improvement. Venturing into the realm of board service is one area I knew required external expertise. I researched several entities and selected Women in the Boardroom because the organization aligned with my objectives. Now that I am a VIP Member of WIB, I’ve been exposed to board coaching, networking techniques and corporate board openings, all of which have been valuable to my focus of launching a successful board campaign. I’ve maximized my limited time and effectively positioned myself for corporate board service.
I have recommended to friends that they consider Women in the Boardroom because it’s important that women help women, and because I value the benefits of VIP Membership. The in-depth board bio review process that included one-on-one conversations with a board coach was very helpful and the gentle nudging from Sheila reminds me that it takes work to be noticed by boards. And, of course, the board opening notifications for VIP Members give me an entry to potential board seats that I otherwise would not know about.
As a current corporate board member, I believe that Women in the Boardroom provides helpful information to women at all stages of their careers and board search. The solid base of corporate board opening leads is really of value, even if someone is already on a board. I was also provided outstanding, actionable advice and counsel from the WIB board coach as I was preparing my board bio. What they provide is truly a wealth of knowledge.
As an experienced corporate board member, Women in the Boardroom is a great place to discuss critical board issues and challenges with other female board members, including topics like security and compensation. The visibility of board opportunities and being introduced to companies that I might potentially serve on is extremely valuable as well. I was also able to improve upon my board bio and learn from their excellent webinars.
Women in the Boardroom is a wonderful resource for networking with amazing women of varied talents and interests. This great expanding network is a way to hear about the journey of others and state out loud where we each are on our own journey. We can support and hold each other accountable to not just be the thinkers but the doers. It is a reminder of our collective and individual potential.
I wanted to share the experience that I had with your board coach. I’ve always struggled with my resume, so my board bio was yet another challenge. Your coach was exceedingly helpful and WIB has done a terrific job in putting together this process. After some hard work and time with her, I feel as if every word has had its appropriate moment of attention. I am now moving to the next step in the process and am excited about the possibilities. I very, very much appreciate it.
My new board position would not have happened had I not joined Women in the Boardroom as a VIP Member. Not only were my eyes opened to exploring private and smaller public boards but the process and guidance I have received from their board experts has been invaluable. While attending programs from other groups have been great, it is the follow-up and check-ins that I receive from Women in the Boardroom that have pushed me to get the work done that is needed to attain a board seat. I plan to stay engaged with Women in the Boardroom to make connections and be notified of more open board positions.
Organizations like Women in the Boardroom are doing a huge service to the high potential female executives in America.
Thank you again for your help in preparing the first version of my board bio. You have a wonderful way of posing questions and making suggestions. It was very effective in bringing me to think more deeply about my experience and interests. As a result of preparing the bio, I feel that I have gained greater insight into both myself personally and professionally. I appreciate your time and recommendations.
So far, the brief time I’ve been a VIP member of Women in the Boardroom has easily been the most productive for me in terms of my quest for a corporate board seat.
Sheila Ronning runs a top-flight organization. Since joining as a VIP member of Women in the Boardroom, I have accessed important information and connections. As such, my aspiration and readiness for board service have moved to the next level. My board bio is now complete, my networking has expanded and my overall confidence is heightened. Women with serious BOD interest and commitment will benefit greatly from the VIP level.
The knowledge I have received and the connections I have made through my VIP membership with Women in the Boardroom have been invaluable. I am happy to report that with their guidance and network, I am not only a stronger candidate but also a new member of a dynamic company board.
