Private Company Director’s Directors to Watch 2026 highlights 29 significant and diverse directors who have contributed to and will continue to expand ongoing dialogue on board best practices and corporate governance excellence.
Jennifer McFarlane
Cascade Energy, Emrgy Inc.
Jennifer McFarlane is a seasoned director, having served on several for-profit boards, both private and public, and nonprofit boards. She currently serves as a director and member of the compensation and nomination committee of Cascade Energy, an ESOP company providing energy efficiency services, and a director of Emrgy Inc. Her prior board roles include chair of the audit committee of TruTag and chair of the compensation committee of BioGill.
On her boards, McFarlane actively shapes discussions on strategy, innovation, financing, mergers and acquisitions, and governance. Her strong finance acumen stems from her career as a CFO of emerging high growth companies, including NEXtracker and LanzaTech, as well as an investment banker at Salomon Brothers. She is a 2025 NACD 100 honoree and frequently speaks on board careers.
McFarlane is a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors and Private Directors Association.
AI-enabled strategic foresight. “Today’s directors possess an unparalleled opportunity to guide their companies toward new horizons and opportunities. Given AI’s disruptive forces, directors should encourage management teams to go beyond incremental forecasting into bolder long-term visioning exercises that can generate new paradigms incorporating AI-enabled capabilities. Using structured methodologies that draw out the diversity of management teams can both energize teams and help them understand and embrace the transformational potential of AI. Cultivating consensus around a clear North Star builds genuine commitment and creates the foundation for a transformational strategy.”