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Bonnie Hagemann

Chief Executive Officer

EDA Inc.

Kansas City, MO, USA

Bonnie Hagemann

Alasdair Hadden-Paton

Affordable Houses To Own Ltd

BDT Capital Partners

Bonnie’s Biography

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Bonnie Hagemann is the CEO of EDA, Inc. and a leading tech executive, speaker, author and leadership strategist with expertise in all areas of leadership. She has founded and led companies, led and outsourced functions for large corporations and coached and advised over 200 CEOs and C-suite leaders on leadership, strategy and culture. As a strategic advisor, she has worked with Fortune 500 companies, think tanks and nonprofits, including KPMG, Cisco, UBS and Merck.

EDA, Inc. is a human capital firm with powerful SaaS and AI solutions, premium executive development services and leading industry research. An established premium brand, EDA positions itself as the leader in talent and technology with its HR Tech platform, EDASurveys, that is designed to Make Culture Visible to leaders, the board, investors and potential employees via a One-Stop-Shop Survey and AI Platform.

In 2018, Bonnie co-founded WomenExecs on Boards, a network with over 190 board-ready women from 23 countries who promote gender equality and diversity on corporate boards. The organization’s members have all completed... Bonnie Hagemann is the CEO of EDA, Inc. and a leading tech executive, speaker, author and leadership strategist with expertise in all areas of leadership. She has founded and led companies, led and outsourced functions for large corporations and coached and advised over 200 CEOs and C-suite leaders on leadership, strategy and culture. As a strategic advisor, she has worked with Fortune 500 companies, think tanks and nonprofits, including KPMG, Cisco, UBS and Merck.

EDA, Inc. is a human capital firm with powerful SaaS and AI solutions, premium executive development services and leading industry research. An established premium brand, EDA positions itself as the leader in talent and technology with its HR Tech platform, EDASurveys, that is designed to Make Culture Visible to leaders, the board, investors and potential employees via a One-Stop-Shop Survey and AI Platform.

In 2018, Bonnie co-founded WomenExecs on Boards, a network with over 190 board-ready women from 23 countries who promote gender equality and diversity on corporate boards. The organization’s members have all completed board governance education programs at Harvard Business School and have C-suite experience. Bonnie is also on the Business Council for Exponent.org, an organization with a mission to amplify global gender equity efforts at the highest levels of power and influence.

As a highly regarded thought leader, Bonnie has been a featured speaker at many prominent events including TEDx, UNESCO’s Soft Power Conference and AMCHAM Finland’s Luminary Series. She is a widely published author, and her latest book, The Courage to Advance: Real Life Resilience from the World's Most Successful Women in Business, addresses five leadership competencies through stories from women who have overcome challenges to achieve great success in business. In addition, she is often called upon as a subject matter expert for the media including WSJ, Marketwatch, Fast Company, CNN, US News & World Report and more. moreless

Bonnie’s Newsfeed

Real Life Real Leaders Podcast

Real Life Real Leaders | Episode #25 - Pamela Eyring

Bonnie Hagemann welcomes Pamela Eyring, Owner & President of The Protocol School of Washington, a global leader in business etiquette training and business image consulting.

DiversityQ

Shortlist announced for the Women in IT Awards USA 2022!

Bonnie Hagemann has been shortlisted for the 2022 Woman of the Year award, which honors IT excellence and innovation, as well as leadership in bringing more diversity into the technology industry. 

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Bonnie’s Background

EDA Inc.

Chief Executive Officer

Feb 2007 - Present

Kansas City, MO, USA

EDA Inc., formerly Executive Development Associates, is an Established Global Human Capital Brand that has been leading the way in strategic executive development since 1982. With four decades of top-tier experience and an innovative track record, EDA is known for its world-class expertise and innovative ideas, effectively bringing a verifiable return on investment and as a trustworthy partner.

WomenExecs on Boards

Co-Founder & Co-Chair

Mar 2018 - Present

Edmond, OK, USA

WomenExecs on Boards (WEoB) is a global network of women who completed board governance programs at Harvard Business School and who are committed to work together to attain board positions and to advance the state of women on boards and in senior leadership positions.

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Bonnie’s Gallery

bonnie hagemann speaking at a crew network event

bonnie hagemann addressing the crowd at a conference

bonnie hagemann giving a talk at a conference

bonnie hagemann at the luminary event in finland

bonnie hagemann speaking at a conference

bonnie hagemann as part of a panel at the UNESCO

Board Positions

EDA Inc.

Director

Kansas City, MO, USA

The EDA, Inc. of today is the result of a merger of a long-term premium executive development services business and a start-up technology business in the human capital space and is well-positioned to take significant market share in the HR Tech space in the coming years.

Amigos de Fe

Director

May 2012 - Present

Puebla, MX

Amigos de Fe is a mission and school based in Mexico. Bonnie Hagemann previously served as President.

Previous Board Positions

SurveySaurus

Chair

Kansas City, MO, USA

SurveySaurus, now a part of EDA, Inc. was a technology start-up building solutions in the HR Tech space to advance hire, retain and develop great talent.

Media

Real Life Real Leaders Podcast

Host

Real Life Real Leaders is a podcast dedicated to telling the stories of some of the business world's most notable leaders. These stories of courage, resilience, adaptability and vulnerability are about overcoming the behind-the-scenes struggles that are not often talked about. We speak with leaders who have overcome some of life’s biggest challenges while reaching the top of their professions.

Real Life Real Leaders | Episode #24 - Andrea Silbert

Host

Apr 2022

Bonnie Hagemann welcomes Andrea Silbert, President at Eos Foundation, to the podcast to discuss her life and career journey.

Real Life Real Leaders | Episode #23 - Claudia Jaramillo

Host

Mar 2022

Claudia Jaramillo, Vice President & Group Treasurer at Schlumberger, discusses her path from growing up in a small town to becoming a high-level female executive who serves as a mentor for other women as they advance in their professional lives.

Real Life Real Leaders | Episode #22 - Wendy Mann

Host

Mar 2022

Wendy Mann, CEO of CREW Network, joins the podcast to discuss the tireless work done by her company. CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women) Network is dedicated to the advancement of women in the commercial real estate industry, with a foundation built upon 4 pillars: a Strong Business Network, Leadership Development, Research, and Career Outreach.

Real Life Real Leaders | Episode #21 - Mimi MacLean

Host

Jan 2022

Mimi MacLean is the Founder of The Badass CEO and Lyme360, as well as Founding Consultant and Managing Director at Beautycounter. Mimi and Bonnie discuss her life's journey and career path, notably how the many obstacles she had to overcome to achieve her success led to her gaining a clear perspective on leadership.

Real Life Real Leaders | Episode #20 - Ken Pasternak

Host

Nov 2021

In this episode, Bonnie speaks with Ken Pasternak, speaker, author, educator and Brand Ambassador of Hintsa Performance. Ken discusses his varied career and shares some of the most important lessons on leadership that he has learned, both from others and his own experience.

Real Life Real Leaders | Episode #19 - Aoife OBrian

Host

Jan 2022

Aoife OBrian discusses her background, thoughts on the ever-changing workplace, notably how it connects to her ideas on Imposter Syndrome, and some of the most important leadership skills she has developed over her career.

Real Life Real Leaders | Episode #18 - Janice Lin

Host

Oct 2021

In this episode, Janice Lin, Chief Investment Officer at Revera, discusses her early life, while also outlining the steps she took and lessons learned in her financial career, notably as a member of a family of medical professionals.

Real Life Real Leaders | Episode #17 - Lisa Detwiler

Host

Oct 2021

Lisa Detwiler, Managing Director, CCO & GC at FS Investments, discusses her experience in the financial sector, including the obstacles she faced on her path to becoming an executive, and shares her thoughts on how to be an effective leader.

Real Life Real Leaders | Episode #16 - Katy Hollister

Host

Sep 2021

Katy Hollister, fmr. Chief Strategy Officer-Global Tax & Legal at Deloitte Tax, joins the Real Life Real Leaders podcast to discuss her extensive experience as a business strategist, the most important steps in her career and how that served as a foundation for her approach to leadership.

Succession Planning: Building Diversity, Equity & Inclusion into Your Company’s Leadership Pipeline

Quoted

Mar 2021

In an article for InHerSight, Bonnie is quoted in her discussion of women in executive positions and leadership. In her effort to encourage diversity and gender equality in the workplace, Bonnie explains that "having a stated corporate culture that supports diversity and policies such as recruiting quotas will drive a gender-neutral and inclusive workforce".

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Interviews

Episode 306: Bringing Your Whole Self To The Table, with Bonnie Hagemann

May 2022

Bonnie Hagemann joins the Ellevate podcast to discuss gender equality in the boardroom, income disparity within companies, and her book, 'The Courage to Advance'.

Nurturing Authentic Leadership with Bonnie Hagemann

Mar 2022

Bonnie Hagemann joins host Karen Bailey to discuss the importance of creating the right company culture, what she has learned throughout her various leadership roles, and the role that both women and men have in bringing more diversity to the boardroom.

Episode 180: Bonnie Hagemann

Jan 2022

Bonnie Hagemann joins Ed Evarts to discuss leadership in the workplace and what 'brave' leadership means to her. The two also discussed Bonnie's extensive experience and how it has provided a strong foundation for her work today.

WomenExecs on Boards: Real Life Resilience From the World’s Most Successful Women in Business With Bonnie Hagemann

Dec 2021

Bonnie joins The RecruitingDaily Podcast to discuss WomenExecs On Boards, her company EDA, Inc., and her recently published book, 'The Courage To Advance: Real life resilience from the world’s most successful women in business'.

Bonnie Hagemann, Author of Courage to Advance and Founder of EDA on Leadership

Oct 2021

On this episode of The Scott Becker Private Equity & Business Podcast, Bonnie Hagemann discusses her new book, 'The Courage to Advance', and her experiences as a leadership strategist and as head of her company, EDA, Inc.

Challenges of the C-Suite : Guest Bonnie Hagemann

Oct 2021

Bonnie Hagemann joined the CB Bowman podcast to discuss her extensive experience building and leading teams and providing leadership strategy to C-Suites of diverse organizations. She also discussed published book, 'The Courage to Advance'.

Why Quality Leadership is More Impactful Than You Think, with Bonnie Hagemann

Aug 2021

In this episode of the Boardroom Bound podcast, Bonnie Hagemann traces her career as a strategic advisor to leaders and executives in a wide range of industries, and also shares some key points on the impact effective leadership can have on companies and employees.

Female Founders: Bonnie Hagemann of EDA On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder

Aug 2021

Bonnie Hagemann joined Authority Magazine as part of their series titled “Why We Need More Women Founders”. In this talk, she discussed five key points every female leader needs, including, visionary leadership, a strong work ethic, and good qualities as a teacher.

Visionary Leadership: An Interview with Bonnie Hagemann

Apr 2021

Bonnie joins Breakthrough Leadership to talk about her book, Leading with Vision, and the central ideas of how vision can strengthen leaders by inspiring and motivating a workforce, to the ends of reaching higher goals and standards as an organization.

Forward Ever: 'Leading with Vision' author Bonnie Hagemann

Mar 2021

Gary Shorman was joined by Bonnie Hagemann for the Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times podcast, where the pair discuss EDA's new platform, SurveySaurus, and the trends that Bonnie and EDA have noticed in business leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The B2B Podcast: Bonnie Hagemann – hosted by Austin Miller

Jan 2021

In an interview with Austin Miller from the B2B Podcast, Bonnie Hagemann talks about the partnership between EDA with other businesses and the challenges of running a business, among other important topics.

Having Clear Vision w/ Bonnie Hagemann

Feb 2020

Bonnie Hagemann joins the Victorious Living podcast to discuss her distinguished career and share her thoughts on the steps leaders can take to develop stronger strategic leadership.

Bonnie Hagemann on Leading with Vision

Aug 2019

Bonnie joined The Art of Strategic Reaction podcast to discuss the important steps to becoming a visionary leader who can inspire others to push forward and work harder in order to bring a business to new heights.

Waiting for the Fog to Lift with Bonnie Hagemann

Dec 2018

Bonnie Hagemann and Nathan Eckel from the BeTheTalk podcast talk about finding motivation in the hardest times while growing up on a farm and how business leaders can create visions to break through "the fog" and move forward.

Bonnie Hagemann Talks Leading With Vision

Jul 2017

Bonnie Hagemann, in an interview with the American Management Association, discusses the relationship between leadership and vision as well as the power of storytelling as a teaching tool in the workplace.

Leading With Vision: A Blueprint For Engaging Your Workforce

Jun 2017

In this interview, Bonnie Hagemann defines the differences between mission, value and vision and speaks on the importance of a leader's vision. She states that a leader who has a compelling vision will be able to inspire other workers and brings people together.

Episode 3: Bonnie Hagemann

May 2019

In this episode of Leader Spotlight, Bonnie Hagemann discusses key ideas from her new book, “Leading With Vision: The Leader’s Blueprint for Creating a Compelling Vision and Engaging the Workforce”, and shares stories about her impressive career.

Bonnie Hagemann's Favorite Manager

Jun 2017

In an interview with the American Management Association, Bonnie reflects on her childhood and how her father inspired her as a manager and taught her how to move on through difficult times.

Bonnie Hagemann's Sound Advice

Jun 2017

Bonnie Hagemann encourages those in need of career advice to step into leadership roles and move forward.

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Features

How These 19 Founders And CEOs Are Leading During The COVID-19 Crisis

Apr 2020

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bonnie describes her experience as a business leader. She explains how she was able to lead her company through the crisis by encouraging wide-spread communication and implementing a Leadership & Transition Center to serve the workers.

5 questions leaders should ask before taking a big risk

Oct 2019

In this article for CNN, Bonnie encourages business leaders to change the way they make decisions. She discusses the importance of becoming decisive and being open to make choices and being wrong to avoid stalling and falling victim to "analysis paralysis".

13 Methods For Business Leaders To Help Staff Refocus After Layoffs

Mar 2019

Bonnie Hagemann and other members of the Forbes Coaches Council offer their words of advice for the ways in which leaders and employees can recover and refocus after difficult times of lay-offs at a company.

Meet the new boss, not the same as the old boss

Feb 2019

In an article for the Chicago Tribune, Bonnie draws on her experience helping businesses reorganize and develop, and offers words of advice for managers and employees who are in the middle of a merger. She states the ways that managers and employees can meet one another and develop a healthy working relationship for the future.

How To Avert A PR Disaster: 15 Tips For Handling A Crisis Correctly

Aug 2018

The Forbes Coaches Council gives several helpful tips to handling a PR crisis. Bonnie discusses the importance of preparedness, and how simulations can be helpful practice to ensuring that there is a system in place for handling a crisis in case of an emergency.

These are the 5 “super skills” you need for jobs of the future

Jun 2018

Flexibility, according to Bonnie Hagemann, is an essential skill that will help leaders advance their career by finding new opportunities for continual growth.

Leading with Vision — Spotlight on Bonnie Hagemann, CEO @ Executive Development Associates

May 2018

This article for Medium highlights Bonnie Hagemann's accomplishments as a business leader and coach for fellow executives. The article also shares a selection from Bonnie's book, Leading with Vision.

Battling CEO burnout: Advice from leaders in development, healthcare on staying at 100%

Mar 2018

In an article for FierceCEO, Bonnie details the ways that several CEOs have been able to manage intensive hours in the office by taking time out of their busy schedules to step away and enjoying vacations and routine exercise, which helps them manage stress.

9 Business Tips Every Entrepreneur Needs To Know

Feb 2018

Bonnie is featured in an article with the Forbes Coaches Council, in which she advises entrepreneurs to form their own lives according to their vision of what they want and hope to achieve.

Six Tips For Would-Be CEO Authors

Oct 2017

“Take an entire month of nothing else,” Bonnie Hagemann advises CEOs who want to write a book but don't believe that they have the time to do so.

Bonnie Hagemann on Leading With Vision

Leadership Talk

Aug 2017

As part of a Centre for Executive Education series, Bonnie Hagemann shares her wide range of experience in the corporate world to impart best practices for business leaders in the 21st century.

Five Annual-Review Mistakes You’re Probably Making

Dec 2016

In a discussion about annual reviews, Bonnie details that it should be "a documentation of an ongoing conversation" between the manager and employee. She says that employees should be given the chance throughout the year to improve, so it should never be a surprise if the employee is fired for his or her performance.

How To Be Your Own Leadership Development Coach

Sep 2016

“We budget for everything we think is important – if we need a new car or a home improvement. Why not budget for leadership development?” Bonnie Hagemann says, describing how leaders can budget their resources to make time and money for developing crucial business skills.

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Publications

The Courage To Advance: Real life resilience from the world’s most successful women in business

Co-author

Oct 2021

The Courage To Advance details inspiring stories from women who have overcome life's challenges to rise above and succeed in their industries to become leaders in their field. In this book, Bonnie Hagemann and other women seek to showcase their struggles and inspire other women to make a difference and step up despite difficult challenges.

The Great Resignation: Why Employees Want a Company with a Soul

Author

May 2022

Citing technological trends that have enabled companies to innovate and streamline production, Bonnie says leaders need to instill something more in their company ethos: Meaning.

How to Win the Talent Marketplace

Author

May 2022

Bonnie Hagemann discusses EDA Surveys™, which allows managers and business leaders to take a deeper dive into their organizations, in turn making their company's culture more visible.

Top Priorities in Executive Development

Author

Apr 2022

Bonnie Hagemann addresses five high-priority aspects of executive development, including the need to address key business issues and challenges and build awareness of the new technology.

Your Strategy Investment is Profit

Author

Apr 2022

Seeing it as a way of 'future-proofing' a company, Bonnie Hagemann discusses how the investments a company makes in its business strategy will be rewarded in both the short and long term.

This is how we could solve the retirement crisis

Co-author

Aug 2021

New York, NY, USA

As major advancements have led to significant increases in life expectancy, Bonnie Hagemann, and co-authors Krishna Kumar and Andrew Hoehn, are focused on America's looming retirement crisis. They discuss key areas that can help solve this crisis, including strengthening Social Security and improving financial literacy.

Trends 2021 Benchmark Report: Trends in Executive Development

Co-author

Jun 2021

The Trends in Executive Development report has been the leading compilation of research for organizations across the globe to benchmark their executive and high-potential development practices. In this report, some significant trends impacting executive development are discussed, including innovation in the workplace and the need for new definitions of leadership in a changing landscape.

Biden's Child Tax Credit Will Bring Lifetime of Improvement

Co-author

Apr 2021

Along with co-authors Krishna Kumar and Andrew Hoehn, Bonnie Hagemann offers commentary on the Biden administration's American Rescue Plan, which increased the 2021 child tax credit available to millions of Americans. Studies have shown that this reform is expected to cut child poverty by more than 40 percent.

Humans Are Living Longer, So What Do We Do with All This Extra Time?

Co-author

Feb 2021

Bonnie describes how increased life expectancy has shifted perspectives on working and retirement, among other topics, by examining trends in the 1800s compared to modern day.

How To Begin Building Unforgettable Connections In The Workplace

Author

Jun 2019

New York, NY, USA

Using recent research on executive development by her company, EDA, Bonnie Hagemann discusses how workplace environment, as well as the workforce, is shifting. With these changes in mind, she outlines numerous ways that leaders can adapt, including building real connections with others and slowing down in order to make sure leaders do the necessary things need to create a better work environment.

The Mentally Prepared Leader

Co-author

Mar 2019

Bonnie Hagemann and Sae Schatz describe the importance of cognitive readiness in today's business leaders, which is defined as the "upper echelon of critical thinking". Hagemann and Schatz say that cognitive readiness is particularly important in today's world, as technology in the workplace constantly changes and evolves.

The Two Complex Challenges Confronting Leaders Today

Author

Feb 2018

In this article for the Forbes Coaches Council, Bonnie Hagemann analyzes the impact of technology and the shift of the workplace, and how these issues continue to affect leaders. She addresses how online platforms such as Uber and Amazon have disrupted many companies, and how a generational shift in the workplace creates new demands.

Leading with Vision: The Leader's Blueprint for Creating a Compelling Vision and Engaging the Workforce

Co-author

May 2017

Leading with Vision, published in 2017, analyzes important steps that leaders can take to succeed, from having a compelling and inspiring vision to having courage and taking action to motivate employees and push forward through troubling times.

Decades of Differences: Making It Work

Co-author

Oct 2010

In Decades of Differences: Making It Work, Bonnie Hagemann offers her advice and tips on how business leaders can sharpen their skills and become better leaders in their companies to adapt with the constantly changing modern workplace.

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Speaking Engagements

Professional Women’s Conference

Featured Speaker

Dec 2021

Athens, GA, USA

The 2021 Professional Women’s Conference, hosted by the University of Georgia's Terry College of Business, offered participants a day of networking and education through keynote speakers and panel discussions with female executives. Bonnie's talk was titled 'The Courage to Advance'.

'Trends in the Shifting Workforce'

Keynote Speaker

Nov 2021

Las Vegas, NV, USA

Bonnie Hagemann was a featured speaker at the ESOP Association conference. In her talk, she shared significant insights from her career working with CEOs, executive-level professionals and leaders of some of the world's most recognizable brands and companies.

CREW Network Spring Leadership Summit

Keynote Speaker

Jun 2021

St. Louis, MO, USA

The CREW Network Spring Leadership Summit brings together the top leaders in CREW Network to discuss important ideas, share insights, and learn from one another about chapter management, leadership, and new business trends.

Global Forum Special Virtual Event

Featured Speaker

Jun 2021

Bonnie Hagemann was a featured speaker, along with Clark Callahan, Managing Director of Harvard Business School Executive Education, on a panel titled "Post-Pandemic Trends in Executive & Leadership Development" at the Global Forum Special Virtual Event. Among other topics, the panel discussed the results of the bi-annual EDA 2021 Trends Report.

Rising Above: Climbing Higher

Speaker

Jan 2021

Bonnie gave a presentation called "Our Metamorphosis: Emerging from the Fog" for the Rising Above Virtual Summit, which was meant to teach and inspire business leaders to become more successful in their fields during difficult times.

Our Metamorphosis: Emerging From The Fog

Keynote Speaker

Nov 2020

Bonnie Hagemann gave the keynote speech at the 2020 Salt Lake Chamber Women's Business Center of Utah Women & Business Conference. At the ATHENA Awards Luncheon, she gave a talk titled "Our Metamorphosis: Emerging From The Fog". She discusses the hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic and the social justice movement in complex and difficult times, and how leaders can work toward a better future.

The Luminary Series Featuring Bonnie Hagemann: Leading with Vision

Featured Speaker

Jul 2019

Helsinki, FI

At this event presented by Amcham Finland, Bonnie Hagemann shared her experience and expertise as a business founder, advisor and human capital executive. The talk focused on current trends in executive development, four competencies that the next generation of leaders need to develop, and how to navigate and lead within an ever-changing business landscape.

Waiting for the Fog to Lift

TEDx Talk

Aug 2017

Overland Park, KS, USA

In her TEDx Talk, Bonnie Hagemann shared her insight into the importance of stable leadership in an increasingly complex world. Building upon her vast business experience, Bonnie discusses how leaders can navigate uncertain times and shares her thoughts on best practices for business leadership in the 21st century.

Leadership and Power for Women in Business

Moderator

Jun 2017

Paris, FR

Bonnie Hagemann served as a moderator for this panel at the 2017 UNESCO Soft Power Conference. The panel discussed the current status of women in business and in leadership roles. The panel aimed at identifying new pathways for the promotion of women’s leadership in business worldwide, including advisory and board roles.

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Press Releases

WomenExecs on Boards and Mill Road Capital Team Up to Boost Diversity on Corporate Boards

Oct 2021

This strategic alliance between WomenExecs on Boards (WEoB) and investments firm Mill Road Capital (MRC) will help both organizations achieve their goal of increasing board diversity.

Fellowships

NACD

Board Governance Fellow

Arlington, VA, USA

The NACD Board Governance Fellowship is a continuous study of boardroom insights, intelligence and practices that teaches fellows how to properly lead their executive boards.

Bonnie’s Education

Harvard Business School

Women on Boards: Succeeding as a Corporate Director

2016 - 2016

University of Central Oklahoma

M.Ed. | Counseling

1990 - 1992

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