Executive Women's Roundtable: Boards and How to Get on Them
By Jennifer Flanery, WTS-DC
November 2021
WTS-DC's ongoing Executive Women’s Roundtable (EWR) series met virtually on November 12 to discuss the topic of "Moving Up the Ladder: Boards and How to Get on Them." Diane Woodend Jones, Chairman and Executive Vice President of Lea+Elliott, Inc., and Jannet Walker-Ford, Senior Vice President and Principal Director National Transit and Rail Business Line Leader at WSP, led the session. Both Jones and Walker-Ford combined have served on various corporate, industry association, and foundation boards—including WTS-I—during their careers.
This invite-only event brought together top-ranking women in the transportation industry in a facilitated forum to interact, network, and discuss common issues. The session kicked off with an invitation for participants to share their own experiences as members of boards and how they would like to be involved in the future. Jones and Walker-Ford then shared their experiences across various roles, covering the expectations and responsibilities, including the time and financial commitment of various board positions and how they balance work, home, and board position responsibilities. The session provided ample opportunity for open discussion and information sharing among all participants about how to best position yourself for board service, how to decide which board position is right for you, and lessons learned once you make it to the boardroom.
Now more than ever is the time for women leaders interested in joining boards—including professionals from nontraditional backgrounds and underrepresented groups—to seek out and consider one of these roles. Several trends are converging, including increased diversity in the boardroom and external pressures on companies and organizations to diversify their boards, making board membership accessible to a wider range of candidates.
If you are interested in learning more about the EWRs, please email Neela Babu.
WTS-DC thanks Diane Woodend Jones and Jannet Walker-Ford for generously sharing their experiences with our group! If you are interested in gaining experience on a volunteer board, WTS-DC has multiple open positions across various committees starting in January 2022. Please email the incoming WTS-DC President for more information.