It can feel impossible to distinguish between reality and hype when it comes to new technologies. But that’s exactly what strategic boards are doing, says Grant Thornton’s Adam Bowen. In this episode, Bowen and NACD’s Dylan Sandlin discuss the board’s role in tying digital transformation to strategy, how technology executives can work with the board, and how directors can stay current on new technologies. Host: Dylan Sandlin , program manager of digital and cybersecurity content at NACD Guest: A...
Aug 20, 2025•33 min•Ep. 24
Am I as good as my board peers? Do they think I’m a fraud? If you’ve found yourself asking such questions, you may be experiencing impostor syndrome. In this episode, board member and author Keith Dorsey and NACD advisor Susan Paley discuss impostor syndrome and self-doubt in the boardroom. They define what “impostor syndrome” is, how it manifests among directors, and how to tackle it individually and with peers. Host: Susan Paley , NACD advisor Guest: Keith Dorsey, NACD.DC ® , senior advisor, U...
Jul 16, 2025•28 min•Ep. 23
The transition from an executive to a board career, or a portfolio lifestyle, is more than it appears; the change can be seismic, in fact. In this episode, board member Paul Williams and NACD advisor Susan Paley discuss how Williams transitioned away from his full-time career toward a portfolio lifestyle. They cover the value he finds in board service, his shift in mindset from outward achievement to inward fulfillment, and the day-to-day changes he’s experienced. Host: Susan Paley , NACD adviso...
Jun 18, 2025•32 min•Ep. 22
When faced with disruption, companies may feel compelled to pause business plans. To the contrary, RSM tax partner Karen Galivan believes, they must continue to innovate. In this episode, Galivan speaks with NACD advisor Susan Paley about how boards and companies are handling disruption amid geopolitical uncertainty, including tariff impacts. They define what a “disruptor” is and discuss the practices and structures that can be put in place to create resilience. Host: Susan Paley , NACD advisor ...
May 21, 2025•34 min•Ep. 21
Under the leadership of next-gen directors, the future boardroom will be more agile, tech-enabled, and engaged, predicts board member Caroline Tsay. In this episode, Tsay and NACD advisor Susan Paley discuss the next generation of board members. They cover Tsay’s journey as both a next-gen and an experienced board member, how the current business and geopolitical environments influence director selection, and how board culture shifts when next-gen directors are in the room. Host: Susan Paley , N...
Apr 16, 2025•29 min•Ep. 20
Service is Bob McDonald’s—and a nonprofit board’s—way of life. In this episode, McDonald and Mary Jacobson dive into McDonald’s journey from military to government to board service. They also discuss the nuances of nonprofit governance, how to approach finding nonprofit board roles, and what it takes to be an effective nonprofit director. Host: Mary T. Jacobson , senior regional director of the NACD chapter network Guest: Hon. Robert A. McDonald , chair, Elizabeth Dole Foundation, West Point Ass...
Mar 19, 2025•41 min•Ep. 19
Ever wonder what it’s like to be a board member? In this episode, Rob Galford and Susan Paley examine what a typical year looks like for public company directors. They discuss board calendars, agenda setting, best practices to avoid asymmetric information, and how to improve the experience of being a board member. Host: Susan Paley , NACD advisor Guest: Robert M. Galford , lead independent director, Forrester Research; managing partner, Center for Leading Organizations NACD Resources: Modernizin...
Feb 19, 2025•41 min•Ep. 18
It’s one thing to be smart and curious. But to truly differentiate yourself as a leader requires processing time to look for patterns, lessons, and insights, says Adam Bryant. In this episode, Bryant and Susan Paley discuss the difficulties of and the motivations behind modern leadership, including the importance of listening, the paradoxes of leadership, and how the best leadership wisdom is also life wisdom. Host: Susan Paley , NACD advisor Guest: Adam Bryant , senior managing director and par...
Jan 22, 2025•43 min•Ep. 17
Mentorship should be a two-way street, according to board member Barbara Adachi, NACD.DC. Adachi, Lori N. Mackenzie, and Raquel Suarez discuss the role of mentorship in the boardroom, including what defines an effective mentor-mentee relationship, whether and how to formalize mentorship programs, and how mentees, mentors, and the board can benefit from the engagement. Host: Raquel Suarez , NACD senior manager of diversity, equity, and inclusion Guests: Barbara Adachi , board member at Atlas Tech...
Dec 18, 2024•43 min•Ep. 16
There’s one major rule for executives to lay a strong foundation with the board: no surprises, says board and C-suite member Peggy Foran. Foran and NACD advisor Susan Paley discuss the who, what, when, where, why, and how of executive engagement with the board, including what boards expect from executives, how executives can effectively prepare for board and committee meetings, and the key elements that foster a strong board-management relationship. Host: Susan Paley , NACD advisor Guests: Peggy...
Nov 20, 2024•36 min•Ep. 15
Directors should focus on purpose, not partisanship, says Bruce Haynes. Haynes, who works in crisis communications and reputation management, and board member Anne Alonzo chat with NACD advisor Susan Paley about strategies for boards to prevent controversial issues from escalating into crises and how they can facilitate effective conversations on difficult topics, especially in the context of the upcoming US election. Host: Susan Paley , NACD advisor Guests: Anne Alonzo , board member at Potlatc...
Oct 23, 2024•37 min•Ep. 14
Why should global governance trends matter to US boards? Board member Mary McDowell and Russell Reynolds’s Rich Fields join NACD’s Friso van der Oord to discuss the themes dominating boardrooms around the world and how US governance compares to governance in other countries, with a close look at the United Kingdom. Host: Friso van der Oord , NACD senior vice president of content Guests: Mary McDowell , nonexecutive director at Arrow Electronics and Autodesk and senior independent director at Inf...
Sep 18, 2024•46 min•Ep. 13
You’re contacted about a board opportunity. What happens next? Mary Beth Vitale, a director on multiple boards, and Chuck Gray, coleader of Egon Zehnder’s US CEO and Board Practice, join NACD’s Susan Paley to chat about what candidates can expect from the recruitment process, how to prepare for board interviews, and what role search firms play. Host: Susan Paley Guests: Mary Beth Vitale , board member at Government Employees Health Association (GEHA) and Luna Innovations, and an NACD faculty mem...
Jul 18, 2024•48 min•Ep. 11
It’s all about self-discovery. Lisa Shalett, cofounder of Extraordinary Women on Boards, joins Susan Paley, NACD vice president of the chapter network, to discuss how anyone can start on their path to board service through networking, continuous learning, and self-investigation. Host: Susan Paley , NACD vice president of the chapter network Guest: Lisa M. Shalett , cofounder of Extraordinary Women on Boards, a board member at MPower Partners and PennyMac Financial Services, and a former partner ...
Jun 19, 2024•49 min•Ep. 10
Listen and learn before you speak or lead—that’s Oscar Munoz’s motto. Oscar Munoz , former chair and CEO of United Airlines, joins Susan Paley, NACD vice president of the chapter network, to talk about his journey to the C-suite and the boardroom, as well as his early influences and the importance of empathy and authenticity. Host: Susan Paley , NACD vice president of the chapter network Guest: Oscar Munoz , former chair and CEO of United Airlines; board member at Archer Aviation, CBRE Group, Sa...
May 15, 2024•57 min•Ep. 9
Corporate boards are no longer simply a legal structure, but a body of humans in the spotlight. Peter R. Gleason , NACD president and CEO, joins Friso van der Oord , NACD senior vice president of content, to discuss how governance has changed over Gleason’s time in the field and how it will change in the future. Host: Friso van der Oord , NACD senior vice president of content Guest: Peter R. Gleason , NACD president and CEO NACD resources: The Future of the American Board: A Framework for Govern...
Apr 17, 2024•56 min•Ep. 8
You’ve been invited to join a board. Now what? Rose McKinney-James , a board member at ioneer, MGM Resorts International, Pacific Premier Bancorp, Toyota Financial Savings Bank, and the NACD Pacific Southwest Chapter, and cochair of the chapter’s Nevada Advisory Board, sheds light on how a director can prepare for their first day in the boardroom, what is expected of new directors, and the general ins and outs of onboarding, including both the board’s role and the individual’s role. Listen to Mc...
Mar 20, 2024•37 min•Ep. 7
Shareholders increasingly have a voice in how companies operate. How can boards better listen to and work with shareholders to improve corporate value? This episode features a conversation with Nell Minow , vice chair of ValueEdge Advisors, prior president of Institutional Shareholder Services, and an attorney who has worked for the US Environmental Protection Agency, the Office of Management and Budget, and the US Department of Justice. A leading voice in corporate governance and a prolific aut...
Feb 21, 2024•45 min•Ep. 6
Many C-suite leaders think they have what it takes to join a board, while others don’t consider directorship as an option. Joanna Burkey , the former chief information security officer at HP and a board member at Beyond, formerly Overstock.com and Bed Bath and Beyond, and ReliabilityFirst Corp., clarifies the role of the board as she discusses finding her path to the boardroom and how her perspective as a C-suite leader changed along the way. Tune in to hear what Burkey wishes aspiring board mem...
Jan 17, 2024•51 min•Ep. 5
Karina Litvack , the former founding chair of the Climate Governance Initiative, launched in collaboration with the World Economic Forum, and a director on the board of Terna, offers her perspective on the state of climate governance. With the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s final climate disclosure rule expected this spring, it is an ideal time for boards to reconsider how they can provide the best ESG oversight with a focused lens on climate. Listen and determine what your board can do...
Dec 22, 2023•45 min•Ep. 4
Do you ever wonder what other corporate leaders have done—and continue to do—to earn seats on private corporate boards? Lynn Clarke , the 2021 NACD Directorship 100 Private Company Director of the Year and a board member of A. Duie Pyle, Basic American Foods, and The Vollrath Co., shares her journey. Hear from Clarke as she discusses the steps that she took to become a director of large private companies, her experiences on family company boards, CEO succession, corporate purpose, and much more....
Dec 21, 2023•25 min•Ep. 3
What defines success as a corporate board member? Linda Fayne Levinson, the 2022 NACD Directorship 100 B. Kenneth West Lifetime Achievement Award honoree, former chair of Hertz Global Holdings, former independent lead director of Jacobs and NCR Corp., and a former board member of Western Union Co. shares her story. Learn from Fayne Levinson’s career fighting for her seat at the table at a time when women were not usually in the boardroom, using her positions of power to elevate women and other u...
Dec 21, 2023•29 min•Ep. 2
Boards of private, nonprofit, and public companies of all sizes are grappling with the changing nature of business and the effect on governance. How can boards become and remain resilient in the face of volatility and future uncertainty is the question Friso van der Oord , NACD senior vice president of content, discusses with two members of the NACD Blue Ribbon Commission that released the Future of the American Board: Luis A. Aguilar, NACD.DC, a board member at Donnelley Financial Solutions, En...
Dec 18, 2023•49 min•Ep. 1
