introducing our
2025 IMPACT REPORT
In 2025, only 30% of board seats were occupied by women. Together, we can change that.
letter from CEO
OUR MISSION
2025 was a year of momentum for Women On Boards Project. I stepped into the role of CEO with gratitude for the strong foundation built before me and with a vision for what comes next. Together, we carried our mission forward: to change the face of leadership by opening doors for women to join the boards of consumer companies.
In total we have placed 71 women, many of them first-time board members, on for-profit consumer brand boards. Each placement represents a powerful shift, bringing new perspectives and lived experiences into rooms where decisions are made. Beyond these placements, we grew our community, strengthened partnerships, and built new pathways for women to connect with companies seeking fresh leadership.
Still, the work ahead is clear. Women are superheroes, yet we are still navigating this professional world that was not built for us. This project is about honoring the women who crawled to the starting line so that others could walk and we can run. Our responsibility now is to pave the way for future generations to sprint.
As we look to 2026, our focus is on expanding the reach of this movement, deepening the community that sustains it, and continuing to transform what leadership looks like.
Thank you for being part of this work. We could not do it without you.
Kierstin Rielly, CEO, Women On Boards Project
performance snapshot
2025 HIGHLIGHTS
The Women On Boards Project exists to elevate organizational excellence, consumer understanding, and business performance by identifying secret weapons for male-dominated boards of consumer-driven organization: exceptional, successful women.
We believe:
✓ We don't have a supply problem - we have a demand problem.
✓ Boards should reflect the consumers they serve.
✓ We need to change the perception of what a strong board member looks like.
✓ Built by industry experts for the consumer industry, W Project will always reflect the ecosystem it serves.
A snapshot of our successes this past year to advance this mission:
candidates
IN THE INDUSTRY TODAY, THE VAST MAJORITY OF BUSINESS DECISIONS ARE MADE BY MEN…
Women drive 70-80% of consumer purchasing, but there are more men in leadership positions than women leaders in total. Yet, companies with at least one woman on the board have, on average, higher returns on equity and higher net income growth than those who do not.
Today, our community of 71 placements has added almost 50 additional board roles to their portfolio since we helped place them - something we call the multiplier effect.
Women On Boards Project is continually and actively seeking out women to occupy these positions, especially first-time board members, with the goal of eradicating prior board experience as a prerequisite.
2025
BOARD PLACEMENTS
Tana Davila
CMO, Dutch Bros Coffee
former CMO, PF Changs & CKE Restaurants
Melanie Goldey
CMO, Tally Health
former COO & CFO, TMRW Life Sciences
VOVK FAMILY BUSINESS
Alison Potts
CCO & CSO, Cisco Brewers Inc.
former CCO, Stella & Chewy's SVP, Nestle Health Science
Renee Lopes
CMO, Marine Layer
former Analyst, Athleta, Gap, Banana Republic
Nancy Pak
CMO, Dutch Bros Coffee
former CEO, Tate's Bake Shop
former CEO, Tom's of Maine
LAUREL ORLEY, Co-founder & CEO
Daily Snacks
Women On Boards Project introduced us to several incredible candidates, each of whom could have been a strong addition to our board. We're thrilled with the leader we ultimately chose, she's already adding tremendous value. The whole process was seamless, and we couldn't be happier with the outcome.
companies
COMPANIES NEED WOMEN ON THEIR BOARDS.
Gender-diverse boards drive better performance by mirroring the diversity of the consumers they serve, enabling decisions that are informed, relevant, and impactful. Yet, only 30% of board seats are occupied by women.
Women On Boards Project exists to change that, by working alongside some of the most reputable consumer brands, we're actively working to change perceptions and address the disparity in the boardroom and beyond.
CHRISTINA YU, Investment Director
NextWorld
"Women On Boards Project has been a valuable partner to NextWorld and our portfolio companies. Over the past few years, W Project has introduced numerous qualified women leaders to us and supported us in placing multiple board members for our portfolio companies. They have a deep network and strong relationships in the consumer space as well as a very thoughtful approach to matching talent with the right opportunities. We are excited to continue supporting Women On Boards Project and their mission of increasing representation of women in the boardroom!”
partners
THE CATALYSTS FOR INDUSTRY CHANGE
The Women On Boards Project operates on the belief that a supply problem never existed—there are more than enough capable women ready to fill board seats. The true challenge is generating demand from boards seeking women with proven track records of success. As a catalyst for change, the Women on Boards Project continues to push consumer investors to create opportunities for these roles and actively facilitates connections that make this progress possible.
WAYS WE'VE ENGAGED OUR CANDIDATES
✓ Expanded reach to include service providers to advance connections
✓ Partnered with The Council to educate women on angel investing
RASHID ALI, Co-Founder & CEO
Chomps
We partnered with the Women On Boards Project to fill an open board seat, and the experience was excellent. Through their process, we connected with Liz, who joined our Board in June 2022 in an advisory role. She quickly made an impact in areas like governance, operational excellence, scaling infrastructure, supporting key leadership hires, and strategic planning.
Her contributions were so meaningful that we brought her on full-time as President and COO in January 2023. Liz has been a transformative leader, and I highly recommend the Women On Boards Project to any consumer brand looking to strengthen and diversify its board.
how we operate
OUR ORGANIZATION
The Women On Boards Project was born from a simple but urgent problem: companies kept hiring the same recycled board members because they were known within the network and represented the path of least resistance—while hundreds of qualified women leaders remained overlooked.
Built by industry experts for the consumer industry, W Project will always reflect the ecosystem it serves. Our employees and volunteers are investors, operators, founders, executives, and board members themselves—uniquely positioned to connect companies with game-changing women leaders who bring fresh perspective and unmatched expertise.
our trusted partners and service providers
HELP AMPLIFY OUR MISSION
Our partners help further our mission, and without them, our work would not be possible.
looking ahead
WE MUST ACCELERATE THE CHANGE WE WANT TO SEE
Since 2018, the rate at which women are being brought into boardrooms is slowing. Our work at the Women On Boards Project is and always will be firmly dedicated to addressing the issue of existing disparities and ultimately to close the gap and increase representation.
