Now retired from a rewarding career at Fannie Mae, Judith Dunn isn't finished working. In her role as general counsel, she interacted regularly with the company's board. But to reach the next level of her career—to succeed as a board member herself—she knew that she needed a broader and deeper understanding of how boards function. With this in mind, she attended the Women on Boards program at Harvard Business School (HBS) Executive Education. In this interview, she discusses the immense value she found in the program.
How did you hear about the program, and why did you decide to attend?
I have been exploring how to build on my corporate and government experience in the next stage of my career. As I spoke to board members and corporate executives, many of them highly recommended the Women on Boards program. After looking into the program, I discovered that no other comparable program attracts the same level of participants, or covers such a breadth of topics taught by respected faculty.
What surprised you about the experience?
The entire week was a series of welcome surprises. From the first moment on campus, the logistics of the week were well executed—the learning facilities, lodging, study lounges, and food service vastly exceeded what I expected. The number of countries and varied backgrounds represented by the other participants added a broad perspective to the discussions. And the commitment of each faculty member, especially Professor Boris Groysberg, went well beyond merely presenting during particular sessions of the program. Each of them was generous with their time.
How did the living groups contribute to your experience?
The living groups were groups of eight women with varied backgrounds, and each group met in the morning and late afternoons in separate lounges to prepare for the upcoming day and discuss the previous day. I learned so much from the members of my group. They answered my questions about the cases we read and discussed, brought a background and perspective that I didn't have, and became my friends. We often ended up gathering in the evening just to laugh and share experiences.
How did the program change or influence your view of corporate governance?
I worked closely with our board of directors at Fannie Mae, so I did not come to this program as a novice on the subject. To be honest, I had questions about how much I would actually learn—but not for long. Each session was full of new insights, viewpoints from other industries, and academic research that backed it all up. The case study method enabled in-depth discussion and a deeper, real-world understanding of the issues.
How would you describe the program's value?
Whatever your background in corporate governance, whatever your current level of understanding, what you take away from the program will be worth the investment of time and resources. As I expected, the HBS professors were knowledgeable and engaging. Just as important, the guest speakers—who were active board members and corporate executives—generously shared their experiences and insights.