• Senior women executives seeking directorships
• Women directors seeking opportunities on Fortune 1000 boards
• Women with the financial literacy, business acumen, perspective and experience necessary to perform well in a governance role
• This program is limited to women with specific business experience. You must receive approval from Kellogg to participate. This will require a completed Kellogg application and a recommendation from either your CEO or a sitting board member of your choice endorsing you as qualified for board opportunities.

• Broaden your understanding of the role of the board
• Hone your skills crafting and delivering your value proposition for a board seat
• Increase your visibility with executive search firms and nominating committees
• Analyze opportunities to harness your network to identify and create board opportunities
• Learn to detect red flags and read between the lines in financial statements

Characteristics of the Most Effective Boards and Board Members

• Explore critical roles of directors in strategy and change
• Examine emerging governance challenges and trends

Your Value Proposition

• Develop a compelling board profile highlighting governance competencies
• Hone a concise value proposition to use within your network and with other influencers
• Practice delivering your value proposition to people in your network, search firm executives, your CEO, and directors

Board Interview

• Prepare yourself for an interview that is unlike other interviews; get ready to answer questions about your role in governance
• Practice in a setting with experienced directors so you are prepared for the interviews to come

Earning the Nomination

• Build credibility, evaluate board opportunities, and conduct the due diligence to select the right boards to join

Be an Effective Director

• Gather and analyze information to maximize your contributions in meetings and ask the right questions
• Identify red flags in financial statements with a careful analysis of balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow

SPECIAL FEATURE:

Listing In Database Of Women Directors
As a participant in this program, you can create an individual profile in the Kellogg Center for Executive Women’s Database of Women Directors, an extensive repository of information on exceptionally well-qualified female board candidates. The Kellogg Center for Executive Women uses this database to provide information on qualified directors to search firms, nominating committees and CEOs free of charge. The Kellogg Center for Executive Women also proactively reaches out to companies to encourage them to consider qualified women for their boards.

Below are examples of boards on which former participants of the Women’s Director Development Program currently hold seats:

• Apogee Enterprises, Inc.
• Bed Bath & Beyond
• CDW Computer Centers
• CIGNA Corporation
• Honeywell International
• Ingredion Incorporated
• Mutual of Omaha
• Optima Bank and Trust Co.
• Oshkosh Corporation
• Salesforce.com
• Sargento
• Southwest Airlines
• Weyerhaeuser
• Whirlpool
• Xcel Energ

Admissions Decisions and Process
An admissions committee thoroughly reviews each application and considers the nature and scope of the applicant's responsibilities for admittance to this competitive program. As part of your application to this program, you are required to submit a letter of recommendation from either your CEO or a sitting board member of your choice to endorse your qualifications. Class size is limited to maximize participation, so early application is encouraged. The Women’s Director Development Program applications are accepted on a rolling basis and are reviewed upon submission until the program fills.

Program Fee
The program fee covers class materials, most meals and accommodations at the Allen Center. Travel expenses (including airfare) are the responsibility of the participant. Payment is due in US dollars upon receipt of invoice.

Enrollment in Kellogg programs is highly competitive, and seats will not be guaranteed until your payment is received.

It is expected that applicants have their own health insurance valid in the United States. The University is not responsible for medical expenses incurred by participants during the program.

Cancellation Policy
Because attendance at a Kellogg executive program requires significant advance preparation and demand often exceeds capacity, it is important that you contact us in a timely manner if you must cancel or defer your attendance. To receive a full refund of program fees, notice of cancellation must be received more than 30 days in advance of the program start date. Participants who cancel less than 30 days in advance will not receive a refund but may nominate an acceptable substitute or attend a future session of the same program within the next year.

Gail Berger - Academic Director; Clinical Associate Professor of Management & Organizations; Deputy Director, Center for Executive Women; Associate Professor of Instruction, Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences, McCormick School of Engineering

Victoria Medvec - Academic Director; Adeline Barry Davee Professor of Management & Organizations; Executive Director of the Center for Executive Women

Marian Powers - Adjunct Professor of Executive Education

Edward Zajac - James F. Bere Professor of Management & Organizations

“As a senior marketing executive…I thought I knew what it would take to make this step. Thanks to the Kellogg Women’s Director Development Program, I now know what I didn’t know. I am so much better equipped to start the journey to the boardroom after completing this course. The speakers were all experts in their field— extremely articulate and generous with their expertise and counsel. The other participants were inspiring. I think this course is a must for any woman contemplating becoming a board director.”
EVP, Leo Burnett

“Rarely does the investment in executive education meet all the marks: this program exceeds expectations plus brings together women leaders for continued networking.”
CEO, The Devon Group

“A timely, invaluable component of my personal and professional development. Within a few short months of attending the program, partly based on my experience at Kellogg, I was nominated to serve as an employee-director on the board of my company, a Fortune 500 global infrastructure services provider. I look forward to applying the lessons I learned during the Kellogg program so I can participate and add value right away.”
Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, CH2M HILL