As part of SPMB’s ongoing Women on Boards series, Allison Beach and Rosalie Lovy share highlights from their recent conversation with Leilani Latimer. Together, they discussed how operating experience in technology translates into boardroom impact; how ESG principles can drive both purpose and performance as the language around them evolves; and why access, not readiness, remains the defining barrier for women and underrepresented leaders seeking board seats.
Leilani Latimer is a global go-to-market and growth executive, board director, and advisor with more than thirty years of experience leading revenue growth, business transformation, and organizational alignment across the technology and SaaS sectors. Her operating background spans public companies, private equity and venture-backed companies, and purpose-driven organizations.
She currently serves on the boards of Black Diamond Group, Sedex, and Narratize, bringing expertise in governance, global leadership, digital transformation, go-to-market optimization, and sustainable value creation, and holds an NACD Directorship Certification. Earlier in her career, she led commercial and marketing teams for companies including Sabre Corporation, Zephyr Health, and Fair Trade USA, driving data- and customer-centric transformation at a global scale.
Recognized for her focus on responsible leadership and inclusive innovation, Leilani applies a “sustainability as operational excellence” framework to her board work, connecting purpose, people, and performance to long-term enterprise value.
Translating Technology Operating Experience into Board Impact
How has your experience most effectively translated to board impact, particularly given your commercial and go-to-market background?
I would start with strategy. In many of my operating roles, I was developing and leading strategies for revenue growth, for market entry, and for business transformation. All of those included changes to people, processes, and systems. Considering that one of the board’s primary roles is to provide guidance and oversight to the management team on strategy—both long-term and short-term—that’s a skill set that always rises to the top.
In addition, coming from a go-to-market background keeps you grounded in the customer. Too often, companies get overly product- or revenue-focused and forget their key constituent: the customer. Having spent years leading sales teams, I know that revenue is what growth is about, but empathy with the customer and a deep understanding of the industry dynamics around them ultimately lead to happier customers. That conversation always comes up at the board level, whether we’re talking about growth strategy, market trends, or customer satisfaction metrics.
My technology background has also been additive. Even non-technology companies today have to enhance data and technology strategy—now it’s about AI. I spent 30 years in technology companies, so whether it’s selling into the enterprise or applying data and governance principles, that expertise is a real value-add. I can think of examples where boards could have benefited from better governance or support from a technology perspective. Cybersecurity is a big issue for every company now, not just tech companies.
ESG and Mission-Driven Value Creation
You’ve worked across sustainability, climate, and healthcare—industries where outcomes extend beyond shareholders. How has that shaped the way you think about value creation at the board level?
The unique perspective I bring to the board is shaped as much by my expertise in sustainability as it is by having worked in mission-driven organizations. I got into the world of sustainability early, while working for a $3 billion technology company, and it formed the way I think about the pillars of sustainability as a framework for operational excellence.
While ESG has kind of fallen out of favor as an acronym or practice, I still think it serves as a materiality analysis for risk and opportunity—and that’s what the board is there to do: think about risk and opportunity. Board and management teams should always consider the impact their products and services have – positive and negative – on the environment, people, communities, customers, and investors.
Can you share examples of some of the governance impact you’ve driven?
As a Board Director I’ve helped integrate ESP principles into board-level governance and committee oversight, translating ESG from compliance to strategy across climate, supply chain transparency, and stakeholder engagement. Boards also need to provide oversight on non-financial performance metrics for the executive team—things like employee retention and safety, which fall under the “S” in ESG.
Depending on the industry, there might also be metrics around environmental impact or safety. In industrial or food-related businesses, for example, these are crucial measures. As a board director, it’s important to balance financial and non-financial performance so the company is rewarded for what’s truly material to its business, and what will make a lasting impact.
Has the recent shift in sentiment around ESG and DEI shown up in the real-time board conversations you’re part of?
It definitely has. As a board director, it’s incumbent on us to think about risk to the company. I personally reviewed all of our diversity and public-facing materials to make sure nothing could be construed as discriminatory. Things like quotas, for example, have become hot buttons. Companies that had quotas often wanted to move away from them—not because diversity isn’t important, but because quotas sometimes drove the wrong behaviors. The goal is to stay aligned with your values and to be intentional about making diversity happen in a way that’s authentic and sustainable. At the end of the day, diverse teams drive better performance.
Creating Opportunities for URM Leadership at the Organizational Level
How have you been intentional about creating space for the next generation of female leadership to get into those positions for the first time?
I really hone in on the word “intention.” There are a lot of nice words and programs that don’t necessarily deliver on their promises. Boards need to challenge leadership teams to think about talent as the “team for the future,” not just what they have today.
When boards do succession planning, we think three to five years out—what will we need then? I think the same should apply to organizational leadership. Companies need to make sure they’re creating meaningful pathways for career growth and equal access to those opportunities for all employees.
A good example: I’ve seen cases where someone says, “Allison would be a great candidate for that role in Europe, but her husband’s job is here, so she can’t move.” My advice is—don’t opt her out. Let her opt herself out. If she’s one of your top candidates, offer her the opportunity and let her decide. Equal access is everything.
Those assumptions often come from good intentions, but they reinforce inequity. You can’t assume someone’s circumstances—ask, offer, and create space for choice. The moment we stop making those assumptions, we create more equitable access.
Companies that start with a 50/50 gender split early on need to look closely at where and why women are dropping off as they move up. No company can afford to lose its A players. Understanding those barriers and removing them is key to real progress.
Board Readiness vs. Board Access for URM Leaders
We’ve talked a lot internally about board readiness. How did you personally cross that frontier?
The only barrier to women being “board ready” is access. Numerically, there are just as many board-ready women as men. They just don’t have access to the sitting board members or the networks those members use when looking for new directors. When you look at the backgrounds of Board Directors, you’ll see VPs of finance, university professors, VPs of engineering, consultants, bankers, investment professionals—roles where there are plenty of qualified women.
I went through a board readiness program, not because I wasn’t ready, but because I wanted to show up prepared. I wanted to learn how to think like a board director rather than an operator. And even today, if I’m looking for a new board role, the challenge is still access. Most roles aren’t posted anywhere; they come up in conversation.
What do you think are the highest-impact actions that women aspiring to board roles can take to increase access?
Step number one is to let people know you’re interested in board service. That’s the simplest and most overlooked thing. Second, understand that corporate boards aren’t just for public companies; there are plenty of opportunities in private or early-stage settings.
Advisory and nonprofit boards are great entry points. They get you comfortable with governance and with how boards operate. You’ll often find yourself sitting with people who also serve on for-profit boards, which expands your network organically.
Should women wait until after their operating careers to pursue board work, or start earlier?
Let’s debunk the myth that board service is something you do when you’re done operating. If you’re not in a regulated industry, start while you’re still in your operating career. For me, being on a board made me a better operator, and being an operator made me a better board director. I was able to bring a fresh, current perspective into the boardroom.
Any final reflections or advice for women considering board service?
Know the unique value you bring. Every board role is specific, and understanding why you’re a fit for that seat matters. For me, I wanted to make a greater impact beyond my operating roles. You have to know why you want to do this—and be clear about it.
These opportunities can take time; it’s often a five-year journey from interest to placement. Be patient, stay clear, and let people know you’re looking.
