Simplifying board selection

by expertly making the connections that count.

How can we help you?
My company is looking to fill a board seatI'm an executive woman seeking board service

In The Press

Athena For Boards

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The Athena Alliance connected us with a diverse group of qualified candidates for the MuleSoft board. Yvonne Wassenaar’s technical expertise and experience scaling enterprise cloud business made her a strategic addition to our team.

Greg SchottChairman and CEO, MuleSoft
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"I could not recommend Athena more strongly if sourcing world class women leaders for your board is important to you."

Lawrence CoburnCEO of DoubleDutch
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"The Athena Alliance connected us with a broad array of incredibly talented women from a variety of disciplines, all with deep knowledge and experience in various technology sectors. Importantly, the process could not have been easier and more enjoyable."

Rick SmithFounder & CEO, Axon
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"The Athena Alliance continually identifies the best few women to put forward. Their credibility in this regard enhances my ability to serve my network in the same way and ensures I will continue to turn to Athena as new opportunities arise."

Ann WinbladManaging Director Hummer Winblad Venture Partners, Board Director, MuleSoft, Sonatype, Ace Metrix, Optimine

The Athena Effect

  • A wide range of studies and experts find diversity at the top improves company performance
  • Women make up almost 50% of bread winners in family households with kids under 18 so they are just as much your key “buyers” as men
  • Women are about half the “users” of stuff and technology as well

How we help you find your next board member

We’re not a recruiting firm. We introduce you to the best women we know, just like your trusted network.

We work with you to determine what you are looking for in a board member.

We hand-select qualified women from our immediate and extended network to introduce to you.

We make it easy to see a potential match by carefully summarizing each woman’s unique experience and why they might be a fit.

You retain your internal board selection processes and we work with your search firm if you have engaged one.

Our Process Timeline

Bringing on a new director can take time as both sides get to know each other to make a confident decision. We find it takes 3 months at top speed, and occasionally as much as 12 months.

Day 1

A board reaches out to discuss what they are looking for in a board member

Day 1 through Day 8

We present 2 to 10 highly qualified women that meet their criteria for their consideration

Day 8 through Day 30

Initial connections are made and discussions begin between qualified women and the board

Day 30 through Day 360

Depending on your board’s internal processes, interviews continue for 1 month to 1 year
Meet Some Of Our Members

Amy Bunszel

Vice President (Digital Engineering Products) at Autodesk

Merline Saintil

Operations Executive, Board Member, Thought Leader
Board Director: Banner Bank (NASDAQ: BANR), Watermark, Iridescent

Debbie Clifford

Vice President, Division Finance at Autodesk

Helen Riley

CFO at Google X

Debra Chrapaty

Chief Operating Officer at Declara
Board Director: Declara, Rockspoon Inc., KCG (NYSE:KCG)

Caroline Tsay

Chief Digital Officer at Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Board Director: Morning Star (NASDAQ: MORN), Rosetta Stone (NYSE: RST), Travelzoo (NASDAQ: TZOO)

Cheemin Bo-Linn

CEO and President at Peritus Partners
Board Director: Violin Memory, Evena Medical, Advisory Board Member SpeedTrack Corp.

Julie Cullivan

EVP Business Operations and CIO at FireEye

Lisbeth McNabb

President and COO at Food Technologies Lab, Boston Consulting Group
Board Director: Nexstar Broadcasting (NASDAQ)

Alyson Welch

VP Sales at Twilio
Board Director: Girls In Tech

Athena Membership

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"Athena has opened doors to companies for me that I would never have been able to open. But, that is not the only value Athena provided. Being advised, coached and cheered on by an experienced Journey Advisor was invaluable."

Sandy CarterVP, Amazon Web Services and multi-time Fortune 25 Executive
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"The Athena Alliance is tireless in its mission to bring valuable opportunities and indispensable resources to its membership. There are only actions and results – from matching me to stimulating board roles, promoting my company and my profile among industry leaders, to helping me make the most important business connections. When I think of any organization that is a must to be a part of, I first think of The Athena Alliance."

Caroline TsayBoard Director: Morning Star (NASDAQ: MORN), Rosetta Stone (NYSE: RST), Travel Zoo (NASDAQ: TZOO)
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"Athena has a unique approach to not just help women prepare for board service, but building an active network that connects boards directly with candidates. Within months of joining Athena I was in conversation with a Fortune 500 company."

Obi FeltenHead of getting moonshots ready for contact with the real world, X (formerly Google X)
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"… The Athena Alliance has given me an incredibly high quality peer group to network with and learn from. The connections I’ve made through Athena are with people who truly care about supporting each other and have the wisdom and experience to add value."

Amy BunszelVP of Digital Products for Autodesk
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"The Athena Alliance has put together a great program that really helps a prospective board member understand what it takes to move from “hands on” to the Board Room. The tools, activities, and support that Athena provides are all very practical and designed to prepare women for the journey from beginning to end."

Julie CullivanEVP of Business Operations and CIO of FireEye
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"The Athena Alliance has been valuable to me on several fronts - providing useful board-readiness training and insights via informational sessions, facilitating introductions to boards in active recruitment and enabling connections with a powerful community of women. I admire and wholeheartedly support The Athena Aliance's mission and am proud to be a member of this wonderful organization."

Helen RileyCFO of X
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"Athena Alliance is the real deal! It’s the most comprehensive program I’ve seen for getting women on boards. It’s high touch and yet still very intimate. Getting on a board is a marathon. I would encourage you to just start and be patient with yourself. You will also join an incredible network which is how 75+% of board placements happen."

Merline SaintilHead of Operations, Product & Technology Intuit

I’m An Athena Woman

How Athena Maximizes Your Success

It can take two to three years for even the most qualified executives to obtain a board seat. Through a balanced mix of white glove, high-touch 1:1 consulting support and high-value community building and networking, the Athena Alliance works with you to maximize your success in the shortest timeframe possible. Our team helps you:

Types of Membership

Athena Aspiring Director

Athena Aspiring Directors are seeking support in planning their journey towards board seat attainment and achieving this goal.

Membership benefits include:

  • 1-on-1 executive brand presence and impact coaching to support your articulation of your unique value proposition
  • Bio, LinkedIn, and Elevator Pitch development
  • Board recruiter screening
  • Interview guidance with a board director
  • Intimate hands on workshops – board simulations, selection process practice, PR and brand management
  • Exclusive visibility into open board seats
  • Personalized positioning for open seats
  • Positioning for speaking opportunities and awards

Athena Pioneer

Athena Pioneers have successfully secured a corporate board seat and are looking for their next opportunity.

Membership benefits include:

  • Exclusive Visibility into open board seats
  • Personalized positioning for open seats
  • Customized network curation
  • Access to Athena events
  • Access to resources in our member-only online portal
  • Promotion on our website
  • Promotion in our newsletter
Unsure if you are ready for board service?
Is Athena Right for You?Contact us