Women on Boards - Changing the Landscape of the Corporate Board
MODERATOR
Kellie McElhaney, PhD (Professor, Consultant, Author, Speaker)
Kellie is on the faculty and is the Founder and Executive Director of the Center for Equity, Gender and Leadership (EGAL) at the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley.
EGAL was launched in November 2017 and its mission is to educate equity fluent leaders to ignite and accelerate change. Kellie helped develop this leadership concept and teaches it across the country and globe. Equity fluent leaders understand the value of different lived experiences and courageously use their power to address barriers, increase access, and drive change for positive impact.
In 2003, Kellie founded the Center for Responsible Business (CRB), solidifying corporate responsibility as a core competency and competitive advantage of Berkeley-Haas. Due to Kellie’s leadership, Haas was rated #1 in the world for corporate responsibility by The Financial Times.
Kellie authored a book entitled “Just Good Business: The Strategic Guide to Aligning Corporate Responsibility and Brand”. She writes case studies of companies who are investing in women, and broader diversity and inclusion and does research in the area of equal, pay, conscious inclusion, equity fluent leadership, and value-creating strategies of diversity and inclusion.
Kellie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina, Masters of Arts degree from Ohio University and Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. Prior to moving in to academia, Kellie worked in retail banking in commercial lending, acquisitions and corporate leadership development.
PANELISTS
Joan T. Dea, (Board Director – Charles Schwab, Cineplex Entertainment, Torstar Corporation, Performance Sports Group)
Joan is a corporate director, business executive, angel investor and civic leader, who drives positive and lasting change in both the private and public sectors. Currently, she is Managing Director and Founder of Beckwith Investments, a private investment business, and an early-stage investor in female entrepreneurs and businesses. She serves as a corporate director for Charles Schwab Corporation, Charles Schwab Bank and Cineplex Inc. and previously served on the Board of Directors for Torstar Corporation and Performance Sports Group.
Joan’s notable past roles include that of Executive Vice President, Head of Strategic Management and Corporate Marketing for BMO Financial Group, where as a member of the Executive Committee she developed and managed the organization’s strategic and change agendas which resulted in transformational results. As a Partner and Director at the Boston Consulting Group, she was a leader in the global Financial Services practice, and co-founded BCG Ventures, developing and investing in disruptors.
Joan is a lifelong supporter of the arts and education and has a passion for the advancement of women and girls. She currently serves as Chair of LEAP, a leading venture philanthropy organization, Trustee of Marin Academy, Vice Chair of the National Ballet of Canada, Member of the Prime Minister’s Council for the Promotion of Women on Boards (Canada), Advisory Board Member for GlobalGirlMedia and a Founding Partner in Luminato, Toronto Festival for Arts and Creativity.
Joan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University and a Master of Science degree in Economics (International Relations) with Distinction from the London School of Economics.
Sabrina Simmons, (Board Director – Williams-Sonoma Inc, e.l.f. Beauty, Inc, Columbia Sporstwear Co)
Sabrina is former Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Gap Inc. where she oversaw all global financial functions, including corporate financial planning and analysis, treasury, risk management, tax, investor relations, controllership, the corporate shared service centers, and internal audit. She joined Gap Inc. in 2001 and progressed through positions of increasing responsibility from vice president and treasurer to executive vice president. Appointed CFO in January 2008, after serving as acting CFO since August 2007.
Currently, Sabrina serves as Board Director and Audit Chair for Williams-Sonoma Inc. and e.l.f. Beauty, Inc., as well as Board Director and compensation committee member for Columbia Sportswear Co. Board. Sabrina also sits on the University of California Berkeley, Haas School of Business Advisory Board.
Before joining Gap Inc, was Chief Financial Officer and an executive member of the Board of Directors of Sygen International PLC, a British genetics company. Prior to Sygen, she spent five years at Levi Strauss & Co. as assistant treasurer and several years at Hewlett Packard Company and KPMG.
Sabrina is a certified public accountant (inactive) and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of California, Berkeley Haas undergraduate school of business and a Masters of Business Administration from the Anderson School at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Robin Washington, (Board Director – Salesforce, Alphabet Inc, Honeywell International, Inc.)
Robin has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Gilead Sciences, Inc., a research-based biopharmaceutical company, since May 2008 and recently announced her retirement from her role as CFO, effective March 2020.
Robin is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Alphabet, Inc., Honeywell International, Inc. and Salesforce.com, where she currently serves as chair of the audit committee. Prior to Gilead, she was the Chief Financial Officer of Hyperion Solutions Inc., and she also served as Senior Vice President and Corporate Controller of PeopleSoft. Prior to PeopleSoft, Robin was Director of Finance for Tandem Computers, an Accounting Analyst for the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, and a Senior Auditor for Deloitte & Touche.
Robin is also a member of The Council on Foreign Relations and Executive Leadership Council. She has been recognized for her work on numerous occasions, including being awarded the 2019 Inspire Award by the San Francisco Business Times, Bay Area CFO of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award and Financial Woman of the Year by Financial Women of San Francisco in 2017. She is a member of the Board of Visitors, Graziadio School of Business and Management, Pepperdine University; the Presidents Council & Ross Business School Advisory Board, University of Michigan; and the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland Board of Directors.
Robin is a certified public accountant and holds a Bachelor in Business Administration degree from the University of Michigan and a Masters of Business Administration from Pepperdine University.