We’ve heard it time and again: Who mentors the mentors? We have to mentor each other! Join your fellow 2023 Board Program Faculty Mentors for a special breakfast networking session. Exclusive to this year’s faculty mentors before the Board Program begins, this breakfast session offers a unique opportunity for seasoned corporate leaders to connect and inspire each other, creating a supportive environment for sharing knowledge and experiences before leading their Board Program cohorts to success.

Welcome to the 2023 WBL Board Program! During this introduction, WBL Founder and Board Chair Lynn Shapiro Snyder will set expectations for the program, share stories of her own board search experience, and offer tips on making the most of your time with the speakers, faculty, and fellow attendees.

We’re told if we want a board seat, we need to network, network, network - and when we do, there are often only seconds to pique someone’s interest. How do you set yourself apart and know what parts of your background to highlight? During this workshop, you’ll learn the language of board service and how to demonstrate your credibility as a candidate when authentic relationships count. We’ll share how to uncover your value, tell your story, and network with confidence. You’ll walk away with an elevator pitch that works for you.

During this session, you’ll get to know your faculty leader and cohort, all of whom can serve as valuable contacts during your board search journey. Program faculty consists of highly accomplished WBL members with diverse board service experience who can provide valuable, on-the-ground insight into the board search process – whether it’s networking, the interview, or how different types of boards source candidates. They will provide advice, mentorship, and input to program participants over the course of the program.

Faculty will lead cohorts of 5-8 attendees to share ideas about your value proposition, what boards to consider, and how to best improve your strategies for finding a new board seat. You can rely on your cohort throughout the year for feedback and motivation as you refine your elevator pitch, write your board bio, and examine potential board opportunities. This is the first of three sessions where you will meet your faculty leader and cohort members – the other two will happen after the in-person portion of the program concludes.

OUR FACULTY:

Jan Berger, President & CEO, Health Intelligence Partners (Key boards: UCB Pharmaceuticals, GNS Healthcare)
Cindy Chandler, Principal, Leadership Guidance Group, LLC (Key boards: Angel Foundation, PreferCare Advisory Board, Checkable Advisory Board)
Cathy Eddy, Founder (Retired), Health Plan Alliance (Key boards: Sutter Health Plan, Curatus Strategic Advisory Board, HealthCorum Advisory Board, Silver Fern Healthcare Advisory Board)
Sharon Gabrielson, CEO, SRG Associates (Key boards: Apploi Advisory Board, MTF Biologics, PracticeWise)
Anne McGeorge, Independent Board Member (Key boards: The Oncology Institute, Magenta Therapeutics, Be The Match Foundation, Nimbus Therapeutics)
Tia Newcomer, CEO, CaringBridge (Key boards: University of Nebraska-Lincoln; American Cancer Society National Breast Cancer Roundtable; Inherent Biosciences Inc.)
Robyn L Peters, CEO, Sapere Health (Key boards: Edenbridge Pharmaceuticals)
Patty Riskind, CEO, Orbita (Key boards: Kellogg Graduate School of Management Healthcare Advisory Board; Intus Care)
Amy Ronneberg, CEO, NMDP/Be The Match (Key boards: Allina Healthcare; Medical Alley; Magenta Therapeutics)
Jean Rush, Independent Board Member (Key boards: Addus HomeCare, Eventus WholeHealth, Little Spurs Pediatric Urgent Care, WBL)

You won’t find a board seat unless your network knows you’re looking for one. Through the candid personal stories of three panelists, this session will help you understand how to raise your visibility as a board candidate, covering topics ranging from “how to ask” to the best way to network with investors to finding and accepting the right speaking roles. You’ll learn how to find champions who will advocate for you as a future board member and how to strategically position yourself in the spotlight to find the opportunities that fit your goals.

Before the spec is even created, how do boards identify and plan to fill an opening? Gain insight into how nominating committees, investors, search firms, and CEOs collaborate to build strong boards. Walk away with an understanding of how your talents mesh with current trends and how company stage, current board composition, and future company plans all play into who a board is looking for at each turn. This understanding will serve you well both at board interviews and as a future effective board member.

Get to know the WBL Fellows, 11 leaders of groundbreaking healthcare startups who are solving unique healthcare and life sciences challenges in innovative ways. Over the next year, Fellows will take their leadership and business to the next level through mentorship opportunities, networking, and exposure within WBL’s high-powered community of executives. We can't wait to see what they can accomplish with the power of WBL behind them! 

Get to know fellow attendees, speakers, faculty, and local leaders in the healthcare and investing spaces to finish the first day of the kickoff on a high note!

Start the day off by discussing what happens when you’re selected to interview for a board seat. Every interview is different, but there is a lot to learn from the shared experience of the attendees, faculty, and speakers at your table! Ask questions, share stories, and brainstorm new ways to approach the interview process so you can leave breakfast feeling confident and prepared the next time you’re tapped for an interview.

Joining the board of an investing firm’s portfolio company is a great way to find interesting and impactful board work, gain governance experience, and grow your roster of contacts. How do private equity firms find board members? What’s the best way to get (and stay) on their radars? During this session, you will learn the ins and outs of how investors locate, interview, and select independent directors. Our panelists will also share what they look for in potential candidates so you can put your best foot forward when networking with investors in the future.

Serving on the board of an early-stage company is a great way to gain experience as a director and play a unique role in a company’s development and growth. From angel investing to advisory boards, there are several ways to get involved in the startup scene at the board level – and this session will explore all of them! Hear from speakers experienced in early-stage companies and startup incubators as they discuss:

• What contributions startup directors are expected to make – both financial and time;
• How to find opportunities, and how to evaluate these opportunities; and
• The rewards and challenges of service

The role of a public company director is uniquely challenging and distinct from any other board role discussed during our program. Why is serving on public boards that different? This session will unveil what makes public company boards so sought after and why making the leap from private to public board service takes preparation, time, and a true understanding of your goals as a director.

The interviews are over and you’re excited to join a new board. What’s next? This session will help you understand the onboarding process and how it might look at a wide variety of sizes and stages of companies. What should you expect from the board and the company? What are your responsibilities as a candidate? This session will prepare you to transition from the interview to the boardroom confidently and ready to tackle anything this new role throws your way.

What expectations does the CEO have of the board, and vice versa? The Board Program kickoff’s final session will delve into the process of building strong, symbiotic relationships between CEOs and their corporate boards. Discover what the CEO’s role is in selecting board members; how communication between the board, the CEO, and the rest of the executive team works; and how the CEO and board interact with company investors. You’ll leave a better understanding of the CEO’s perspective and goals, ready to exceed expectations at your next board meeting.

The kickoff may be over, but our program is far from done! Our in-person portion of the Board Program comes to a conclusion with final remarks and a chance to hear what’s ahead for the remainder of the experience, taking place virtually.