Program launched by Perkins Coie, Deloitte, Madrona Venture Group, Cascadia Capital, Spencer Stuart, and other Seattle business leaders reaches new milestone in improving diversity on Washington state corporate boards

SEATTLE (October 17, 2022)—Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that graduates of the OnBoarding Women program have now successfully been appointed to over 125 public and private company board seats since the program’s inception in 2014.

The OnBoarding Women program is delivered by Perkins Coie, Deloitte, Madrona Venture Group, Cascadia Capital, Spencer Stuart, and other Seattle business leaders. Its focus is on increasing the percentage of women executives on public and private company boards in Washington state. Since OnBoarding Women was established, the percentage of women executives on public company boards in Washington has increased to 28% from 14%.

“OnBoarding Women has helped to significantly increase the number of women appointed to public and private company boards in Washington state,” said Allison Handy, firmwide co-chair of Perkins Coie’s Corporate & Securities practice. “Board diversity and inclusion delivers many benefits to an organization and how it is managed, and we look forward to positioning many more qualified women executives for board seats.”

“Our community in the Pacific Northwest is having an outsized impact on bringing diversity to the boardroom. As boards grapple with more diverse issues, the 125+ appointments of OnBoarding Women alumnae demonstrate that there is both a strong pipeline of and demand for new voices and skillsets in corporate governance,” said Gillian Crossan, Advisory Principal and Global Technology Sector Leader at Deloitte & Touche LLP. “I’m thrilled to see the percentage of female directors in Washington state rise from 14% to 28% since the program’s inception, however, there is more work to be done. The OnBoarding Women team is honored to be part of the solution.”

“This program has been invaluable in preparing for board membership, and it has given me the confidence necessary to effectively serve based on what I’ve learned,” said OnBoarding Women graduate Michelle Cutter, Vice President of e-commerce at national outdoor retailer REI. “I’m also grateful for the advice and guidance within our cohort and from our mentors.”

Since the start of the program, dozens of women executives have secured seats on corporate boards spanning a range of industries and sectors. Erin Lantz was among one of the first program participants to obtain an appointment, joining the boards of Washington Federal and TrueCar in 2016. Jeanne Hillman’s placement on the board of Clearwater Paper Corporation in October 2022 represents one of the most recent appointments of a program alum. The program’s eighth cohort of women executives begins meeting this month. Candidates interested in participating in future cohorts are encouraged to submit nominations here.

The OnBoarding Women program is structured to provide practitioner-led education on corporate governance issues and build meaningful connections in the business community. It is open to women with the interest and experience to be considered for nomination to a corporate directorship. Participants share and gain the knowledge needed for effective board members, have the opportunity to network with their peers, and are introduced to a cadre of sitting board members who serve as mentors to accelerate participants’ readiness for board service.

Perkins Coie is a leading international law firm that is known for providing high-value, strategic solutions and extraordinary client service on matters vital to our clients’ success. With more than 1,200 lawyers in offices across the United States and Asia, we provide a full array of corporate, commercial litigation, intellectual property, and regulatory legal advice to a broad range of clients, including many of the world’s most innovative companies and industry leaders as well as public and not-for-profit organizations.

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