An Important Message
From Our Board President, Cheryl Campbell
For more than a decade, Boardbound by Women’s Leadership Foundation is proud to have served as a catalyst in Colorado for helping to increase the number of women on boards through its programs and advocacy. Thanks to supporters like you, we have been able to make a tremendous impact on the number of board opportunities available to women.
As one of the first organizations in Colorado to champion this cause, we’ve operated as a volunteer-fueled group for over a decade. However, as our programs and goals have grown, we have realized the mission will be best advanced by other leading organizations that are well-funded and resourced.
Therefore, 2023 will serve as the Women’s Leadership Foundation’s and its Boardbound programs’ final year, with our current cohorts completing the last Corporate Boardbound programs in September.
When we began our board training programs in Colorado over a decade ago, there were not any local alternatives and only a few very expensive national alternatives. Today, there are a significantly greater number of board training programs women can choose from. This new generation of organizations – many affiliated with larger entities – have joined us in the mission to achieve gender balance on boards.
We believe that organizations like these— Latinos Corporate Directors Association, National Association of Corporate Directors, Him for Her, Women Corporate Directors, Private Directors Association, Deloitte, 50/50 Women on Boards, Athena Alliance and Women in the Boardroom, to name a few—are now well-positioned to carry this important work forward.
We Have Made a Meaningful Difference, but There is More Work to Be Done
Since Boardbound by Women’s Leadership Foundation launched its flagship Boardbound program in 2011, our mission has been to open more board positions to women in Colorado and beyond. When we began our work, women only held 7% of the board positions in Colorado public companies. As of 2022, women hold 24% of board positions.
Through our programs specifically, we’ve had over 125 Corporate Boardbound participants, including women of color, since our inception. Since the revamped program in 2017, 60% of the Corporate Boardbound participants who have graduated at least two years ago have attained a corporate board position. Our Nonprofit Boardbound program has included over 65 women and we’ve facilitated over 200 candidate submissions through Boardconnect.
However, we recognize that what we’ve started isn’t finished. Colorado is moving in the right direction, but there is more work to be done to achieve gender balance on Colorado boards, particularly for women of color. There is great momentum and a strong sense of urgency about the need to put more time, effort, resources and capital investments into achieving these goals. We are confident that like-minded organizations, partners, Colorado companies and CEOs will embrace the work we started.
What You Can Expect This Year
With 2023 as our capstone year, we are committed to the full delivery of our programs and to engaging all of our stakeholders to make as much progress as possible in this final year. We’re also committed to providing continued support for organizations carrying this work forward, as well as resources and alternatives for women in the community interested in similar programs beyond 2023. Therefore, we’d like to invite you to a webinar on Thursday, April 27, where we will share resources, tips in your board search and other ways to continue your journey to board service. Keep an eye out for an email with registration information if you’re interested in attending.
A Shared Success: We Could Not Have Done It Without You
We’d be remiss not to mention all who have made Boardbound by Women’s Leadership Foundation a successful organization for the past 11 years. The volunteer contributions of the community extend well beyond the Board of Directors and includes our mentors, donors, alumnae, committee members, sponsors and those who contributed their time and talent by serving as speakers at workshops and programs. Because of the time, energy, support and passion dedicated to this cause, we’ve all worked together to transform the board diversity landscape for women in Colorado.
See all that has been accomplished
Learn more about alternative board programs
About Boardbound by Women's Leadership Foundation
Boardbound by Women’s Leadership Foundation is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to opening more board positions to women in Colorado and beyond. Boardbound inspires leaders to champion and pursue greater board diversity; equips women to skillfully step into board service; and connects board-ready talent to organizations eager to achieve extraordinary results. For more information, visit www.womensleadershipfoundation.org