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Leavey Executive Center, Santa Clara University
Black Corporate Board Readiness

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Black Corporate Board Readiness

Empowering Black Excellence in Corporate Governance

The Black Corporate Board Readiness (BCBR) program is an initiative designed to accelerate the representation of qualified Black leaders in corporate governance. The program welcomes executives from all backgrounds and identities, regardless of their race, color, national origin, or other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws, with substantial senior leadership experience or comparable responsibilities (such as CEO or General Manager), as well as entrepreneurs who have built and successfully exited companies. We also invite leaders committed to promoting the representation of Black leaders in corporate governance to apply, whether they seek public or private board roles.

Through a structured executive education program with over 40 virtual contact hours and 4 hours of individual mentorship, participants gain comprehensive knowledge on corporate governance, personal branding for board positions, and the unique challenges and opportunities of corporate directorship. BCBR’s impact extends beyond the program itself, offering ongoing networking opportunities, continuing education, and a growing alumni network dedicated to excellence in corporate board service and advancing equity and inclusion in business leadership.

Apply to the BCBR Program Find Prospective Board Candidates

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Format
Fully Virtual
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Duration
40+ hours over 6 weeks
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Price
$8,995 (discounts available)
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Application
Required
Special Event
Black Corporate Board Readiness Gala

The BCBR Gala will be held on September 27, 2024, to honor Barry Lawson Williams, his commitment to advancing diversity in the boardroom, and his research that will shape our understanding of corporate governance for the future. Join what has become a movement. With each endowment pledge made, we advance the cause of inclusion and belonging in corporate boardrooms.

Learn More about the Gala

Board Placements

Upcoming Events & Deadlines

Apply to BCBR

The extraordinary demand from talented, qualified leaders for the Black Corporate Board Readiness (BCBR) program demonstrates the strength and readiness of diverse board candidates. Applications for BCBR cohorts are reviewed by a team of BCBR program alumni, our Program Advisory Board, and staff members. Space is limited in each cohort, and most participants are sponsored by their employers.

The program welcomes executives from all backgrounds and identities with substantial senior leadership experience or comparable responsibilities (such as CEO or General Manager), as well as entrepreneurs who have built and successfully exited companies. We also invite leaders committed to promoting the representation of Black leaders in corporate governance to apply, whether they seek public or private board roles. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at bcbr@scu.edu. After you complete the application form, we will review your application and notify you with a decision on your application.

After you complete the application form, we will review your background and notify you of acceptance into the program.

Key criteria for program acceptance include:

  • Extensive (10+ years) senior leadership experience (C-suite, GM, or equivalent)
  • Entrepreneurs who have built and sold companies
  • Prior service on non-profit governance boards
  • Domain experience of interest to public or private corporate boards (e.g., qualified financial expert, cybersecurity, supply chain, etc.)
  • Approval of current employer, if applicable, for corporate board service 
  • Demonstrated interest and/or leadership in promoting the representation of diverse leaders in corporate governance.
  1. 1:1 Mentor Pairing: Experience the advantage of personalized mentorship. BCBR Mentors sit on public and/or private companies who bring lived experiences and unique insights, guiding you through the complexities of board governance.
  2. Expert Facilitators: Learn from the best. Our facilitators include sitting directors, esteemed SCU faculty, and subject matter experts (SMEs), offering a blend of academic rigor and practical expertise to enhance your readiness for board service.
  3. Evolving Curriculum: Stay ahead with our dynamic curriculum. Designed to address the challenges of today’s corporate governance and anticipate the needs of tomorrow’s boardrooms, our content evolves with the changing landscape.
  4. Networking Opportunities: Most board roles are acquired within networks. Engage with a diverse network of peers, mentors, advisors, and industry leaders, creating valuable connections that extend beyond the program.
  5. Thriving Community: Join a supportive community. The BCBR program is rooted in a sense of belonging, offering a space where members can collaborate, share experiences, and uplift one another in their journey to corporate board readiness.
  1. General Program Fee: $8,995
  2. Non-Profit/Founder Fee: $8,095
  3. Teams of 3 or more from the same company receive a 10% discount
  4. Santa Clara University Alumni receive a 20% discount
  5. Optional: Harrison Assessment and Debrief add-on: $650
  6. Payment can be made via credit card (Amex, Visa, Mastercard) or via company check payable to the "Leavey Executive Center".

Logistics:

  • All class meetings take place virtually.
  • This course is eligible for 7.75 total hours of MCLA credit.
  • A details topic agenda will be available one week prior to the start of the program.
  • Program materials will be provided in digital format.

Cohort 13

  • Application Deadline

    September 27, 2024
  • Information Session

    September 10, 2024
  • Admissions Decisions

    November 15, 2024
  • Program Dates

    February 19-21, 2025
    February 28 & March 7, 2025
    March 27-28, 2025
  • Apply Now

Cohort 14

  • Application Deadline

    February 21, 2025
  • Information Session

    February 4, 2025
  • Admissions Decisions

    April 7, 2025
  • Program Dates

    June 11 - 13, 2025
    June 27 & July 11, 2025
    July 17 - 18, 2025
  • Apply Now

Cohort 15

  • Application Deadline

    June 16, 2025
  • Information Session

    June 3, 2025
  • Admissions Decisions

    August 8, 2025
  • Program Dates

    October 22 - 24, 2025
    November 7 & 14, 2025
    December 4 - 5, 2025
  • Apply Now

Program Highlights

Navigate here to Nuts and Bolts of Corporate Governance
  • Governance in the Modern Business Environment
  • Committees
  • Finance through the Board Lens
  • Roles & Responsibilities of Directors
  • Boardroom Diplomacy
  • ESG for the Boardroom
  • Cybersecurity for the Boardroom
Navigate here to Marketing Yourself for the Search Process
  • Building your Board Brand
  • Leveraging LinkedIn
  • The Courting Process for Director Selection
  • Intentional Networking
  • The Board Interview
Navigate here to Diversity and Inclusion on Corporate Boards
  • The Diversity Crisis on Corporate Boards: Moral & Business Imperatives
  • Driving Board Diversity
  • Boardroom Insights: Experiences and Perspectives of Diverse Directors
  • Breaking the ‘Fit’ Code
Alumni

The purpose of BCBR is to cultivate a diverse pipeline of Black leaders for public and private corporate boards, promoting inclusive governance that drives better business outcomes and equity across all communities.

150+
Public and Private board seats occupied by BCBR Alumni

Meet Alumni

Community

An amazing community of facilitators, mentors, and advisors from all backgrounds and experiences has come together to make the dream of the Black Corporate Board Readiness program a success. Our mentors are board directors, thought leaders, and innovators across industries, bringing diverse perspectives and expertise to support our mission.

Program Advisory Board

Caretha Coleman

Board Chair, Adviser, Principal

Matrice Ellis-Kirk

Chief Executive officer

Mark Goodman

Board Member, Chief Executive Officer, Global Brand Strategist

Almaz Negash

Executive Director, African Diaspora Network

Robin Washington

Board Director and Adviser, CFO

Board Member & Strategic Advisor

Barry Lawson Williams

Retired General Managing Partner, Williams Pacific Ventures
Support

The journey to a first corporate board seat often relies on in-network referrals, which is why BCBR's investment in accompanying alumni through their board pursuits by broadening their networks is crucial. These sponsors enable in-person networking events, curated alumni candidate lists for board opportunities, and ongoing education and engagement across BCBR cohorts and the broader community.

Black Corporate Board Readiness

Barry Lawson Williams BCBR Endowment Fund

The Barry Lawson Williams BCBR Endowment Fund was motivated through collective action of BCBR participants during our inaugural year. An endowment fund has now been established with an initial goal of $10M to ensure accompaniment of the BCBR community in perpetuity.

Barry Lawson Williams served on 14 public company boards and created the Black Corporate Directors Time Capsule Project to capture the corporate board experiences of 50 seasoned Black directors for the benefit of new and aspiring Black corporate directors. A member of our Program Advisory Committee, this endowment honors the energy and passion Barry has invested in making the idea of BCBR a reality.

To explore contributing to the Barry Lawson Williams BCBR Endowment Fund, contact Mick Greco at mgreco@scu.edu or donate directly through our website.

Donate to the BCBR Endowment Fund

BCBR Program Sponsors

BCBR Platinum Level Sponsor
BCBR Gold Level SponsorsKPMG and Skadden logos

Please contact us to explore partnerships, sponsorship opportunities, and meet our wonderful BCBR Alumni.

Our Story
How It All Began

The Black Corporate Board Readiness (BCBR) program, co-founded by Thane Kreiner and Dennis Lanham in 2020, emerged in response to structural inequities and the need for greater diversity in corporate governance. Guided by experienced corporate directors, BCBR was designed to support and prepare talented executives for the unique challenges of board service. The program quickly gained traction, exceeding initial expectations and fostering a growing community of board-ready talent.

Learn More about BCBR's History

Frequently Asked Questions

BCBR works to increase Black representation on corporate boards across the United States.

More capital flows through corporations than through governments, making corporate governance crucial to wide-ranging economic and societal impact. Research has shown that increased board diversity—in terms of gender, race, economic level, lived experience, and more—leads to measurably better business outcomes. And diversity starts at the top.

Even so, more than one-third of S&P 500 companies lacked even one Black board member as recently as 2019, and only 4% of Russell 3000 board directors are Black. Addressing that problem is why the BCBR was founded.

Learn more about BCBR's history →

The program is open to executives from all backgrounds and identities who have gained extensive senior leadership experience or an equivalent span of control, including as a CEO or general manager. From among qualified executives nationwide who apply, up to 35 participants are selected per cohort.

We launch every cohort with a welcome reception, where participants are introduced to the BCBR community, including mentors, advisors, and alumni. After the reception, the cohort will engage in six virtual sessions—two on Thursdays and four on Fridays. On the final session date, there will be a virtual certificate ceremony, where you will receive both a digital certificate and a badge recognizing your completion of the program. After the cohort concludes, participants may have the opportunity to attend additional workshops hosted by our program partners, if available.

  • People with lived experience as sitting directors and subject matter experts are responsible for creating and presenting the program curriculum, along with providing personalized mentorship to each BCBR Participant.
  • More than courses and book-learning, BCBR includes attention to the intangibles that board members must navigate.
  • BCBR is hosted by a sponsoring university, Santa Clara University, built on Jesuit principles, including a commitment to social justice.
  • The program was formed and launched with speed and dedication. The co-founders followed up immediately on every potential connection and got the first cohort up and running quickly.
  • The BCBR co-founders think big, believing that changing corporate governance can help change the world for the better.

BCBR was co-founded by Thane Kreiner, PhD, and Dennis Lanham.

Thane is a board member, co-founder, and independent advisor with 27+ years’ experience leading systemic change to improve health and wellness for people and the planet. He served for a decade as executive director of Santa Clara University’s Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship, which transformed under his direction into the world’s leading university-based accelerator of social enterprises. Before that, he started four life sciences ventures and served as president and CEO of DNA chip industry pioneer Affymetrix. He earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Texas at Austin, a doctoral degree in neurosciences from Stanford University School of Medicine, and an MBA from Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

Dennis is senior assistant dean and executive director of the Leavey Executive Center at Santa Clara University’s Leavey School of Business. He has built several dozen high-impact executive and professional development programs and universities across the United States. He earned a bachelor’s degree in applied behavior analysis from the University of North Texas, a master’s degree in higher education and higher education administration from the Florida State University College of Education, and an MBA in international business from Georgia State University’s J. Jack Robinson College of Business.

Through their mutual ties to Santa Clara University, a Jesuit university located in the heart of Silicon Valley, California, they first became colleagues, then close friends. They found that they shared a passion for fostering a more just, humane, and sustainable world, as well as an abiding belief that collective action is essential to effect social justice.

They recognized that the underrepresentation of Black leaders on boards was not due to a lack of qualified professionals. Many talented individuals from all backgrounds have the education, credentials, and skills needed for leadership roles in corporate boardrooms and executive suites.

Dennis had experience building SCU’s Women’s Corporate Board Readiness (WCBR) program, launched in 2019, to increase the representation of women in corporate board roles. In early 2020, he and Thane began exploring a similar program at SCU to support more diverse leaders in securing board positions. After the murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, they committed to turning the BCBR program into a reality, guided by the principles that had made WCBR successful.

Learn more about BCBR's history →

Thane and Dennis began by reaching out to leaders in their professional and personal networks to learn directly from the community that the BCBR program would ultimately serve.

Thane’s network drew from his extensive experience in Silicon Valley and included mentors from Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship, Stanford business school classmates, venture capital and private equity firm partners, and executive recruiters. Dennis looked to both his personal and professional networks—which, due to the fact that he was raised in a predominantly Black community, comprised a large number of Black professionals—as well as champions within SCU, including the WCBR network.

On June 30, 2020 Shellye Archambeau, an experienced CEO whose board memberships include Verizon, Nordstrom, and Okta, responded to a blind communication from Dennis on LinkedIn requesting advice on the program concept. She was preparing for the launch of her book, Unapologetically Ambitious, and referred Thane and Dennis to Robin Washington—a high-powered CFO and board member at companies including Alphabet, Honeywell, and SalesForce—who agreed to an exploratory conversation. 

Following that conversation, Robin introduced Thane and Dennis to Barry Lawson Williams, a board member of Management Leadership for Tomorrow and creator of the Black Corporate Directors Time Capsule Project. Barry eagerly supported BCBR and introduced them to Ken and Caretha Coleman and numerous other corporate directors, many of whom said, “If Barry is in, I’m in.” By the end of August, Thane and Dennis had engaged with dozens of corporate directors, who encouraged them to move forward with the BCBR program.

Learn more about BCBR's history →

Yes. In September 2020, Thane and Dennis formed a BCBR Program Advisory Council (PAC) to guide on strategy and help hone the program design. The PAC includes Robin Washington, Barry Williams, Caretha Coleman, Mark Goodman, Matrice Ellis-Kirk, and Almaz Negash.

The first cohort of BCBR launched in February 2021, in honor of Black History month. The inaugural cohort was oversubscribed (the initial goal was to reach at least half capacity of 25 for the first cohort) with 28 Black executives.

Learn more about BCBR's history →

In the first 12 months of the BCBR program, 82 participants were graduated from three cohorts. A fourth cohort was graduated early in the second year of the program, and additional cohorts continue to be recruited and scheduled.

With encouragement from the BCBR PAC, the co-founders set the ambitious outcome metric of 100% placement for program alums within 12 months of program completion. In less than a year, more than 60% of inaugural cohort members had secured public or private corporate board seats

From the outset of program planning, the co-founders recognized that accomplishing their board placement goals required helping the concentration of talented leaders being graduated from the program to find appropriate public or private corporate board director positions.

The founders, PAC, and everyone involved with the BCBR is committed to continue expanding the program until achieving its goal of widespread authentic corporate board diversity throughout the nation.