Being an effective board member takes practice.  As an executive officer at the Apache Foundation, the Chair of the Apache SpamAssassin Committee, a founder at POAC-NoVA (the largest autism support group in Northern Virginia), the cofounder of 4 start-ups, advisor to 2 firms and CEO of my own firm I’ve learned a few tricks along the way.

• Agendas
• Whimsy
• The Importance of a Good Chair
• Mailing Lists
• Corporate Veils, Governance & D&O Insurance
• Personal Information
• MLK
• Policies
• Transparency
• Team Drives
• Redundancy
• JFDI
• Burnout & Illness
• Best Practices (w/Attendee Participation)

Those on boards or interested in joining a board will gain an appreciation for lessons learned and advice to be an effective board member.  

Joining a board can be highly rewarding or miserable. Learn from the mistakes of others!