Stacy Brown-Philpot is currently on the boards of HP, Nordstrom, StockX, Noom, Joy, and The Urban Institute. Brown-Philpot explains that she was recruited to these boards for her expertise as a “digital native” who understands mobile, new technologies, and the next generation of consumers. She also acknowledges that being an African American woman added to the diversity companies were seeking on their boards.
Brown-Philpot shares insights into what makes an effective board member, emphasizing the importance of being an attentive listener who asks thoughtful questions. She highlights the value of having board allies and mentors. While she is an advocate for racial diversity on boards, Stacy cautions against joining a board solely because they want a diverse candidate, as this can set one up for failure.
Looking ahead, Brown-Philpot is optimistic that the number of black directors will increase over the next five years. She believes the growing pipeline of diverse talent in executive roles will expand the pool of qualified diverse board candidates. However, she stresses the need for current black directors to actively push for diversity on the boards they serve on and hold companies accountable for their diversity commitments. Brown-Philpot hopes her own legacy will be that she helped create the next generation of outstanding black board directors.
