David Motley grew up in Pittsburgh and transitioned from student athlete to student only in a lifelong journey of learning. He spent over 30 years working in corporate roles focused on strategy. A key mentor was Kelvin Westbrook, who introduced him to the idea of board service. Motley’s first board appointment came from a chance introduction and is a poster child for the adage, “get that first appointment, others will follow”. He has served on 4 public and numerous private company boards, all through referrals.
He believes being seen as a strategic thinker helped him get appointments as a “non-traditional” candidate (non-CEO, non-cSuite, non-White male). On boards, Motley tries to add value by asking tough strategic questions while building relationships. He works to advance diversity, bringing a perspective to issues that
includes his lived experience as a Black man in America.
Motley sees effective directors playing to their strengths while able to work across areas. He believes you can be your “authentic self” on boards but within a culture with norms. Motley doesn’t view golf as essential to board cohesion but acknowledges that it has created meaningful opportunities for relationship building. He sees
significant value in spending informal time with directors. He says “imposter syndrome” is real but directors should know they deserve to be there.
Motley is optimistic about future Black board appointments, with Black directors now positioned to provide more opportunities for Black talent to follow them. He thinks advocacy groups and individuals are moving the needle on diversity now. Motley supports board refreshment through term limits, though rigid age limits may
force out good directors. He believes boards won’t diversify without interventions that challenge the status quo. His advice: Bring unique value, be patient getting appointed, be impatient about finding your voice in the boardroom, and create opportunities for other minorities once on boards.
