Rashida discusses her background growing up in the U.S. Virgin Islands and studying industrial engineering at North Carolina State with scholarships. She worked at IBM for 20 years in various technology roles, gaining international experience in China and Slovakia. She now leads customer success for data and AI at Microsoft.
Regarding boards, Rashida did not need to be a CEO to get board seats. She focused on her expertise in emerging technologies like AI which boards sought. She advises being passionate about the company’s mission, ensuring board member values align with yours, and clearly articulating your differentiated value-add. She spent time building relationships and credibility with executives outside board meetings.
On effectiveness, she had another black board member which inspired belonging. She asks board candidates what their expectations are of her. Regarding committees, her private boards didn’t have formal structures. On style, she distinguishes between operator accountability versus board guidance, but authenticity is key. She reiterates the importance of interviewing boards to ensure cultural fit.
On the future, Rashida stresses qualified black candidates exist despite myths and that belonging on boards should be seen as an obligation, not a favor. Boards should have fresh perspectives so term limits are important. She wants to get to a point where there are so many black directors that we no longer know them all by name. Her dream is to create a wave of sustainable, not just incremental, change in board diversity.
