Private Company Director has highlighted top private company boards and directors since our first issue 12 years ago. These professionals have contributed to and will continue to expand ongoing dialogue on board best practices and corporate governance excellence.
Directors to Watch is just one aspect of Private Company Director’s efforts to drive best practices on private boards across corporate North America and surrounding regions.
DeLisa Alexander
Qlik, Sophos, Synechron
DeLisa Alexander is the former chief people officer and special counsel for Red Hat Inc., where she served for 20 years, growing revenue and cultivating culture through the company’s $34 billion acquisition by IBM.
Alexander serves as an independent director for Qlik, Sophos and Synechron. She is an advisory board member of Anchore. Alexander also serves on several educational and business advisory boards, including as vice chair of NC State University’s Shelton Leadership Center. Her areas of focus include M&A integrations, growth leadership, governance improvement and succession management. read more >
Kristin Daley
Blue Diamond Growers, McCain Foods, Tanimura & Antle
Kristin Daley is a consumer industry leader and strategist serving as an independent director on the boards of large food companies, McCain Foods (where she is chair of the sustainability committee and member of the audit, HR and governance committees), Blue Diamond Growers (where she is chair and founder of the sustainability committee and member of the audit and compensation committees) and Tanimura & Antle (where she is chair of the governance committee and member of the compensation committee).
Her expertise developed through decades of strategy consulting and operating roles. She continues to lead KDC, a boutique growth strategy consulting firm. She also volunteers for Stanford Women on Boards, where she leads strategic alliances. She is also an active angel investor, mentoring several founders. read more >
Julie Gilbert
Asbury Communities
Julie Gilbert is the CEO of Full Throttle Growth & Capital with over 25 years of business growth and technology expertise as a founder/CEO. She was senior VP of growth at Best Buy. Gilbert founded and scaled 17 businesses and is an expert in designing and scaling transformation growth and AI. She is a former McKinsey partner and Deloitte senior manager in the corporate taxation/M&A area and continues to hold an active CPA license.
She is vice chair of health care company Asbury Communities; board advisor to Roz.AI, Hypatia Capital, Amateras Capital and Minnesota Emerging Software Association; and board trustee of the University of Minnesota. Gilbert is an Aspen Institute Henry Crown Fellow and founder of WOLF Foundation, which provides mentorship and networking for retiring senior U.S. military officers. read more >
Marie Meliksetian
Enclave at Taunton Lake
Marie Meliksetian is the CEO of Reliance Solution Services, LLC, offering transformation and transition services. Her global experience is anchored in outsourcing, M&A, strategy, procurement, change management, and technology.Â
Passionate in maximizing company value and positive outcomes led her to advisory boards and strong governance frameworks. Meliksetian is certified Advisory Board Chair and Governance for Private, ESOP, and Private Equity. read more >
Shawna Lecuyer
Family Office Exchange, PrimeCareHealth Community Health Centers
Shawna Lecuyer is an accomplished director and governance expert, serving as vice chair at PrimeCareHealth, an award-winning community health center, where she leads the board quality committee. She is also chair of the human capital committee at Family Office Exchange, a premiere global peer network connecting enterprise families with resources to thrive. Her prior board service includes Compatibility LLC, Harvest Insurance Company and several association boards.
A former executive at The Miniat Companies and a consultant with The Family Business Consulting Group, Lecuyer brings 25 years of experience in governance, legal, human capital and risk. Recognized for her collaborative leadership, she helps organizations align stakeholders, navigate transitions and implement strategies that drive long-term success. read more >
Diane F. Adams
Thrall Enterprises Inc., Lodge Cast Iron, Valco Industries Inc.
Diane F. Adams is an independent director and former chief marketing and strategy officer. She has worked closely with private, private-equity-owned, ESOP and family boards. She is a transformational leader with a deep passion and expertise for driving long-term sustainable growth plans for complex businesses, encompassing both industrial goods and consumer products.
Diane currently serves on the boards of multiple private family companies, including Lodge Cast Iron (chair, nominating committee), Thrall Enterprises Inc. (chair, nom/gov and compensation committees) and Valco Industries Inc. (chair, compensation committee). read more >
Cody Teets
Franchise Succeed, Bridge Entrepreneurs Network Colorado
Cody Teets brings over 25 years of executive and board experience, including a distinguished career at McDonald’s Corporation. As VP of franchise relations, she collaborated with the U.S. C-suite to implement a three-year strategic plan for 1,800 franchisees. She also managed a multistate $2 billion P&L and received accolades for delivering strong returns in real estate development.
Teets’ governance expertise includes serving as board chair of Vivos Therapeutics, where she guided IPO governance and strategic planning, and as trustee of Regis University, where she acted as interim president and achieved significant enrollment growth. As an advisory board member of Franchise Succeed, she is focused on scaling franchise operations. read more >
Carol Casazza Herman
Haley & Aldrich
Carol Casazza Herman is a versatile independent director with extensive expertise in operations, risk management and ESG.
She serves on the board of Haley & Aldrich, a national geotechnical engineering firm, where she is a member of the CEO compensation and nomination committees and chair of the ESG committee.
Previously, she was global VP/assistant general counsel at Pfizer Inc, leading the worldwide EHS function with a focus on compliance, program scale-up and stakeholder engagement during dynamic company growth. She also led EY’s health care segment in sustainability services and authored a National Association of Corporate Directors handbook, Board of Directors Oversight of Sustainability. read more >
Ellen W. Griggs
Shoebox Trust Company (Bush Brothers)
As an independent director recognized among the top transformative leaders in global asset management, Ellen Griggs blends broad executive and corporate governance talent with a strong bias toward solutions.
At NEPC LLC, she held positions as a managing partner and COO, reinvigorating product lines using her honed expertise in strategy, investments, branding and executive/board compensation. read more >
Subash Anbu
Field Fastener
Subash Anbu is a director and member of the nom/gov and audit and finance committees of Field Fastener. He is also VP of IT and CIO of Bemis Manufacturing Company. He served as CIO of The Manitowoc Company for 10 years and has also served as CIO for family-owned private diversified global manufacturing companies. He successfully bridges emerging technologies to core business processes as a competitive advantage to drive revenue and profit growth while taking an enterprise-wide, long-term investment mindset.
Subash serves on the board of Private Directors Association. He advises boards on digital transformation, cybersecurity and AI. read more >
Racquel Harris
Carl Buddig and Company, Bader Rutter
Racquel Harris is an independent director with over 25 years of experience at Fortune 500 companies spanning global marketing, strategy, P&L management and retail buying.
She currently serves as an independent director and people & compensation committee chair of Carl Buddig and Company, a family-owned food manufacturing company, and independent director of Bader Rutter, an employee-owned advertising agency. Previously, she served as VP of merchandising for the adult beverage business and senior VP of marketing for Sam’s Club. She also spent 15 years leading the marketing portfolio of several grocery brands at Kraft Foods in both North America and Europe, including as VP of marketing for the flagship Kraft Cheese franchise and the frozen pizza portfolio. read more >
Kristin Goodwin
Home Front Military Network
Kristin Goodwin is a U.S. Air Force retired brigadier general and the CEO and founder of executive advisory firm The Delta-v LLC, where she advises Fortune 500 and industry-leading companies, CEOs and boards across the technology, AI, space and defense sectors on business strategy, governance, AI transformation, cybersecurity, operations, regulatory compliance, risk/crisis, and change management and board dynamics.
Goodwin was a chief of staff, Space Operations Command, in the U.S. Space Force and the key advisor to the U.S. Air Force chief executive, a four-star general). She advised the secretary of the Air Force, all major commanders, the secretary of defense, joint chiefs, Capitol Hill and the White House. She is a board member of Home Front Military Network and the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce. read more >
Sally J. Curley
Ariel Savannah Angel Partners, Artificial Intelligence Risk Inc., MOBILion Systems Inc.
Sally J. Curley is the founder and CEO of Curley Global IR LLC, a strategic consultancy offering counsel, program development and implementation in investor relations, sustainability and governance engagement.
Sally serves as a director of Ariel Savannah Angel Partners and advisory board director of Artificial Intelligence Risk Inc. and MOBILion Systems Inc. She previously chaired the board of Human Health Project and the sustainability committee of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, where she also served as a director and member of the nom/gov committee. read more >
Modestus Obochi
Temprian Therapeutics
Modestus (Modi) Obochi, Ph.D., MBA, is a seasoned executive with more than 30 years of leadership in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, driving revenue growth and operational excellence. He has held pivotal roles at organizations such as Sernova Biotherapeutics, Baxter, Pfizer Inc., Hospira and QLT, managing portfolios valued at up to $7 billion and leading global strategy. Obochi has successfully closed strategic transactions worth over $7 billion and raised substantial capital for companies.
Currently, Obochi serves as a director of Temprian Therapeutics, an investment advisor of 2Flo Ventures and a strategic advisor of Peqish Food Co. read more >
Shannon DiPietro
Electri-Cord Manufacturing Co.
Shannon DiPietro is an independent director and chair of the compensation committee of Electri-Cord Manufacturing Co.
She has over 30 years of global business experience across five industries, serving as chief human resources officer of TuSimple, and VP of human resources for Thermo Fisher Scientific and S.C. Johnson & Son Inc. At General Motors, she served in senior HR roles in manufacturing, IT, sales/marketing and facilities. read more >
Marc Sullivan
Carbice Corporation
Marc Sullivan is a C-suite executive, board member and SEC qualified finance expert with over 30 years of experience in domestic and international finance and accounting, turnaround, growth initiatives, M&A, due diligence and strategy. Sullivan’s global perspective and experience includes senior financial roles in venture and private-equity-backed companies, family-owned businesses, ESOPs and public companies.
He is an independent director of Carbice Corporation and chairs the audit and finance committee. Additionally, he is the CFO of Infinity Engineered Products. Sullivan is an NACD board certified director and a recognized leader on board governance matters and related board activities. He was the founding president of the Atlanta chapter of the Private Directors Association and a member of its national board. read more >
Karen N. Coombs
Southworth International Group Inc.
Karen Coombs is an experienced board member and global operations and supply chain leader. She serves as an independent director of Southworth International Group Inc., a family-owned manufacturer of vertical positioning equipment.
She leverages her experience as an audit and risk committee member and chair of the industry & innovation committee. In addition, Karen is the chief operations officer at Darkhive Inc. read more >
David Olivencia
Schurz Communications, Old Plank Trail Community Bank
David Olivencia is a seasoned board member with deep expertise in governance, technology and strategy. He serves on the boards of Schurz Communications, Old Plank Trail Community Bank, WTTW Chicago and Angeles Investors.
As CEO and co-founder of Angeles Investors, Olivencia has invested in over 70 start-ups. He complements his board contributions with governance certifications from Harvard Business School and NACD, focusing on risk management, digital transformation and strategic growth. Recognized for leadership excellence, Olivencia is dedicated to helping organizations navigate disruption and achieve impactful results. read more >
Kate Hermans
Clue by Biowink, Mid-Atlantic Diamond Ventures
Kate Hermans has spent her career successfully leading cross-functional teams to build, transform and accelerate the growth of a diverse suite of businesses.
She is a strategic advisor and nonexecutive director of both venture-backed and public biotech and healthtech companies. She is chair of Clue by BioWink, director of Mid-Atlantic Diamond Ventures, and an advisory board member of Women’s Resource Center. Hermans recently exited the board of Ambrx Biopharma, following Johnson & Johnson’s acquisition, having served as CEO in 2022, reset the company’s strategy, streamlined company operations and onboarded a new CEO. read more >
Karen Hung
KeHE Distributors, Ascension
Karen Hung is the CEO and founder of Silver Rock Consulting, where she advises organizations on transformational growth and board impact. Her executive experience includes roles as global chief marketing officer and senior VP at Lands’ End; head of strategy and innovation at General Electric; P&L leader at Citigroup and VP of marketing at Ann Taylor.
Her board service spans corporate and nonprofit organizations, focusing on governance, succession and strategy. She serves on KeHE’s compensation and audit committees, Ascension’s executive, governance and health care quality committees, and National Christian Foundation’s governance and audit committees. read more >
Susan Conner
FGM Architects, Pariveda Solutions
Susan Conner offers executive, operating, corporate governance and financial experience with both private and publicly traded technology software and services companies.
After a career in public accounting as a partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers and as CFO of three public software companies, Conner has served on three boards. She is chair of the board of Pariveda Solutions, a strategy services and technology consulting company, after serving as chair of the audit & risk committee and member of the compensation committee. read more >
Sabrina Hannam
Boardswell, Opal Group
Sabrina Hannam is a CEO who has founded, raised capital for and led multiple software companies. She architects data analytics software, identifies emerging technologies and positions companies for fast scale and high valuations. As Boardswell’s CEO and chair, Hannam delivers double-digit growth, propelling her “Match” app for boards to number one in the marketspace.
Hannam is an advisory board member of Opal Group. She mentors founding teams to scale rapidly and navigate funding or valuation events. She is credited with leading the second-largest IPO in U.S. history. read more >
Alyssa Miller
Epiphany Solution Group
Alyssa Miller is a childhood hacker turned cybersecurity executive with over 25 years of industry experience. She is the chief information security officer for Epiq Global. Miller serves on the board of Epiphany Solutions Group (ESG), advising both ESG and their customers on emerging security technologies and trends. She also serves on the board of Blue Team Con, an independent annual conference series delivering premier content and training to security practitioners. read more >
Becky Pratt
Wheatsfield Co-op, PrairieFire Wealth Planning
Becky Pratt’s deep leadership portfolio in audit and banking includes roles as chief risk officer and executive audit committee member where she led a team that returned her bank to profitability after nearly failing. She is a Qualified Risk Director with extensive board exposure, including director, committee member, advisor and bank examiner experience.
Pratt serves on the finance committee of Wheatsfield Co-op, where she has provided guidance as director, finance committee chair and nom/gov committee member, contributing to Wheatsfield’s competitive success and 30% revenue growth. read more >
Sheila Bangalore
Games Global, StoneAge Waterblast Tools
Sheila Bangalore is a seasoned senior operator who blends her financial and legal acumen to support multinational technology, mining, specialty materials and health care businesses.
She serves as an independent director on the boards of Games Global (where she is chair of the risk & compliance committee and member of the audit, compensation and nom/gov committees) and StoneAge Waterblast Tools (where she is chair of the governance committee). Bangalore also serves as an active member of the Nasdaq Center for Board Excellence Insights Council, a collective of global board members and executive leaders at the forefront of corporate governance. read more >
Pamela Packard
Gray & Company Inc.
Pamela Packard serves as an independent director and chair of the audit and nom/gov committees of Gray & Company Inc., a holding company for commercial insurance and energy investment businesses. She also serves on the board of The Nathaniel Witherell, a skilled nursing facility, and as chair of the NACD New York Chapter. She is president and CEO of Strategic Enterprises LLC.
Packard is a former chair of the Financial Planning Standards Board and previously served on the boards of Brown Jordan International, BDO Seidman LLP, and the advisory board of Planitax Inc. She is a former vice chairman and national business line leader for tax services at BDO Seidman LLP, where she held P&L and operational responsibility. read more >
Lucie Claire Vincent
Toluna
Lucie Claire Vincent is known for being a global consumer products president and leader of P&Ls for Fortune 100 companies, including Colgate-Palmolive Co. and Philip Morris International.
She is an independent director of leading global insights technology and panel provider Toluna, president of the The International Women’s Forum of Connecticut and a “2024 50 Women to Watch for Boards” recipient from 50/50 Women on Boards. Vincent has over 30 years of experience in the consumer products industry. She is a Financial Expert and a Qualified Risk Director. read more >
Brooke Vuckovic
Kalsec Inc.
Brooke Vuckovic is a clinical professor of management & organizations at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. At Kellogg, she focuses on a wide variety of leadership topics, including moral complexity in leadership, talent development and leadership succession.
In addition to her teaching, Vuckovic was the academic director for “Leading the Family Enterprise” through Kellogg’s Ward Center for Family Enterprise. She is an executive coach focused on working with CEOs of founder-led or family-held multigenerational enterprises. read more >
Babs Ryan
Aviva Labs
Babs Ryan was chief innovation officer of GE Capital’s largest division (now Synchrony), where one of her patents generated $800 million in incremental revenue. A dual citizen of the United Kingdom and the United States, she has been onsite in 96 countries.
Ryan is an advisory board member for Aviva Labs, an aesthetics and beauty products manufacturer and business educator operating in 110 countries. Until 2024, she was a director and audit committee member of Workers Federal Credit Union with $2.6 billion in assets, two M&A negotiations and a completed CEO succession. read more >
Sharon Rossi
FoodScience LLC, Jelmar LLC
Sharon Rossi is an independent director and a global manufacturing company CEO who guides CPG health and wellness companies to value creation by contributing oversight, strategic insight and relevant expertise in driving organic and inorganic growth and differentiating corporate culture.
Rossi is the CEO and a director of FoodScience LLC, a vertically integrated, science-first producer of pet and human nutritional supplements, and an independent advisory board member of Jelmar LLC, an award-winning EPA Safer Choice Program manufacturer of innovative, environmentally friendly household cleaning products. read more >
Jennifer Lee
Enzyme by Design
Jennifer Lee serves on the boards of Enzyme by Design, How Women Lead and the American Cancer Society’s BrightEdge Entrepreneurs.
A member of Private Directors Association, Lee contributes to the field through thought leadership, publications and advisory roles. With extensive experience in biotech and life sciences, she has driven the growth of organizations by scaling operations, launching innovative therapies and navigating complex regulatory landscapes. read more >