The 2026/27 Effective Impact Mentoring Program Cohort has been solidified. Our Effective Impact Mentoring Program is a transformational, year-long experience that provides individual guidance and professional skills to help mid-level women achieve their career goals. Since its launch in 1997, over 240 women have benefited from the program.

For years, progress toward greater gender diversity in corporate boardrooms seemed to be accelerating. Today, the landscape is shifting. Recent Bloomberg reporting found that white men have received approximately 60% of new S&P 500 board appointments in 2026 (the highest share in a decade) while women have received about one-quarter of new board seats, down from one-third the previous year. Companies cite economic uncertainty, AI, geopolitical risk, and a desire for experienced leaders as reasons for narrowing their searches. At Executive Alliance, we don't see this as a reason to step back. We see it as a reason to become even more intentional. Board opportunities have always been competitive. The women who earn them are rarely the ones who decide to pursue board service after an opening is announced. They're the leaders who have spent years building the experience, relationships, and visibility that position them for success. Board Service Requires a Different Kind of Leadership