Chair, Nominating & Governance

Annalisa Barrett

Senior Advisor, KPMG Board Leadership Center, KPMG US

Annalisa Barrett is a Senior Advisor with the KPMG Board Leadership Center, where she advises directors on emerging corporate governance issues and conducts research to develop thought leadership on board composition and governance practices. She frequently speaks at conferences around the country addressing issues important to corporate directors, governance professionals, and investors. Annalisa has been quoted on corporate governance and board practices in the New York Times, Bloomberg, and the Financial Times, and her research has been featured in the Wall Street Journal.

Prior to joining KPMG, Annalisa was CEO of Board Governance Research LLC. She was also a Senior Advisor for ValueEdge Advisors and Vice President and Senior Research Associate at The Corporate Library (now MSCI ESG Research). She previously was a Research Consultant in the Executive Compensation practice at Towers Perrin and a Tax Consultant in the Family Wealth Planning practice of Arthur Andersen.

Annalisa currently serves on the Women on Boards Advisory Council of the California Partners Project and the California Insurance Diversity Task Force. She is also an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego School of Business, where she teaches graduate courses in corporate governance.

For over a decade, Annalisa has served on the board of the Corporate Directors Forum (CDF), which provides governance education and peer networking for corporate directors. In 2019, she was selected by her fellow directors to receive the C. Hugh Friedman CDF Board Member of the Year award. In 2008, she was named a Millstein Rising Star in Corporate Governance by the Millstein Center for Global Markets and Corporate Ownership at Columbia Law School. She is a Scott M. Johnson Fellow of the US-Japan Leadership Program, a member of the International Corporate Governance Network, the Society for Corporate Governance, and the 30% Coalition. She holds an MBA with distinction from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. She resides in San Diego, California with her husband and two children.

Chair of the Board

Sara Bennett

Sara joined Marsh & McLennan Agency in 2003 and is a Principal in the Business Insurance Division. Sara is currently the Leader of MMA’s largest industry vertical, and specializes in structuring property and casualty programs for her clients that enhance coverage and drive down insurance costs.

In 2012 Sara was honored with the “Women to Watch” award from Business Insurance Magazine. This international award honors 25 women annually for their professional achievements, influence on the marketplace, and contributions to the advancement of women in business.

Most recently in 2018, Sara was honored by the San Diego Business Journal and named one of San Diego’s Next 40 Top Business Leaders Under 40, by San Diego Magazine as a “Woman of the Year” finalist, and again by the San Diego Business Journal as a “Business Woman of the Year” finalist.

Sara proudly serves a number of associations and non-profit organizations, including the San Diego Women’s Foundation, where she currently serves as Board President. She also serves as Vice Chair of the Sharp HealthCare Foundation Board, is on its Executive Committee, and is Chair of the Sharp Mesa Vista Philanthropy Council. She is the former Chairwoman and Women’s Health Sub-Committee Chair of GROW, MMA’s internal women’s initiative which helps to advance the role of women at MMA and serve as a springboard for leadership opportunities.

Sara also enjoys serving as Mentor to two MMA associates and volunteering for Mended Little Hearts of San Diego, a volunteer-led program providing hope and support to children, patients, and families affected by congenital heart disease.

Sara graduated from the University of San Diego with a major in Political Science and Business Administration. She holds the professional designations of Accredited Advisor of Insurance (AAI) and Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC).

 

Chief Executive Officer

Jessica N. Grounds

Jessica N. Grounds is an internationally recognized leadership expert and a visionary executive who has spurred movements of change across business and politics by developing the next generation of leaders.

Over her two-decade career, she has advised Fortune 500 executives, trained political candidates and governments worldwide, and conducted original research on leadership, all through the lens of gender diversity as a proven strategy for innovation and impact.

Jessica is the CEO of Corporate Directors Forum, which equips board directors, executives, and company decision-makers with training and tools designed to enhance their leadership effectiveness and corporate performance. She also serves on Nasdaq’s Center for Board Excellence Insights Council and recently served on UN Women’s We Empower G7 Programme.

Most recently, Jessica co-founded Mine The Gap, which partners with Fortune 500 companies, organizations, and government agencies to create more effective and inclusive workplaces. She also co-authored reports about the impact of SB 826, the first-in-the-nation legislation to require women board directors on publicly held companies headquartered in California, and served as an expert witness on related court cases.

Previously, she was the Executive Director of Running Start, an organization she co-founded that has trained thousands of young women to run for elected office. Jessica speaks regularly about the importance of advancing women and historically overlooked populations and the barriers to gender equity in leadership. She has trained women leaders from every region of the globe, including extensive work with women in Sub-saharan Africa, the Middle East, East Asia, and across Europe.

Jessica and her work have been profiled in Bloomberg, Fast Company, Roll Call, The Hill, NPR, ELLE, National Journal, Washington Post, San Diego Union Tribune, Politico, Marie Claire, and Forbes. She’s received awards including The New Guard: America’s 50 Most Influential Women by Marie Claire magazine, “40 Under 40” recipient by the American Association of Political Consultants, Outstanding Alumni Pepperdine University, and the 2022 Magis Award from Georgetown Business School.

Chair, Membership Committee

Pamela Holden

Pamela has more than 20 years’ experience working as a trusted advisor. She excels at structuring highly complex, strategic risk management and corporate insurance programs that protect her clients’ assets.

Prior to joining Alliant, Pamela served as Vice President at Aon. Pamela works very aggressively for her clients in the current hard market in order to get optimal insurance placements. Her clients consist of companies in the emerging and middle market space. She has a very successful track record of advising her clients as they scale in growth while mitigating costs. Pamela has clients that are over $10 billion in revenue with hundreds of subsidiaries and is well versed in utilizing captives to save her clients money.

Pamela earned a Bachelor’s degree in History and Fine Arts from Loyola Marymount University. She attended Schiller International University in Heidelberg, Germany and attended Thomas Jefferson School of Law. She holds a Property & Casualty insurance license in California. She is currently completing her certification as a Management Liability (Directors & Officers) Specialist (MLIS). She is a member of the Century Club of San Diego /Farmers Insurance Golf Open, a member of Challenged Athletes Foundation Cycling Steering Committee and a 14 year member of Corporate Directors Forum.

Treasurer

Daniel Schreiber

Daniel Schreiber has extensive business development and accounting system design experience with manufacturing and wholesale business concerns, along with special emphasis in law firm consulting. He is a qualified professional in solving tax and business problems for small to mid-sized closely held concerns. He currently services clients in the manufacturing, electronics, wholesale, legal, medical and service industries. He is also a frequent lecturer on microcomputer consulting and accounting software implementation. Prior to joining JGD & Associates in 1983, Mr. Schreiber spent four years with a regional Wisconsin accounting firm where he managed a branch office.
Dan has conducted various seminars on management information systems and has many years of hands-on experience, one-on-one and group training of client personnel on accounting systems and microcomputer procedures. He has written various articles on microcomputer system design issues, accounting software implementation and training issues. He is responsible (hands-on) for user training, system design, hardware and software implementation for JGD & Associates LLP’s wide area network.
Education:

• Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, University of Wisconsin
• Extensive and ongoing continuing education in various tax and consulting courses
• Accountants’ Boot Camp participant

Chair, Director of the Year Committee

Hiral Shah

Audit Partner, Deloitte & Touche LLP

Hiral is a partner with Deloitte and Touche LLP and has over 18 years of public accounting experience serving a wide range of clients, including both publicly held and privately owned companies.

Hiral has worked her entire career in Deloitte San Diego. Hiral is industry agnostic and has served clients in life sciences (public and emerging growth companies), healthcare, insurance for profit education, real estate and manufacturing industries. Hiral works with and advises her clients on complex or specialized accounting processes. Known for her rapid grasp of issues and quick responses, she has advised C-suite executives and audit committees on a broad spectrum of issues. Her ability to identify risks early and determine a clear path for resolution helps her clients avoid unwelcome surprises.

Hiral is passionate about the people and local community; She has led the Inclusion Council Leader for Deloitte San Diego and is involved with several WIN (women’s initiatives) in the office. She is currently serving as a Board Member of YWCA – San Diego. Hiral is the Board Readiness Program leader C-suite executives and aspiring board members to prepare them for board service and amplify Deloitte’s relationship with board members.

Hiral actively mentors’ young colleagues (especially diverse colleagues) and is respected for her direct communication style and strong coordination skills.

Hiral is a graduate of California State University – San Marcos and belongs to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Chair, Programs Committee

Scott Stanton

Managing Member, Mintz

Scott is a corporate attorney with extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, securities offerings, corporate governance, and general corporate matters. His experience includes: structuring and negotiating M&A deals of all sizes; leading public and private securities transactions; serving as primary outside counsel to public and private companies; and advising clients on SEC compliance and other governance matters. He represents companies, boards of directors, and board committees in a wide variety of industries, including software, medical devices, life sciences, semiconductors, manufacturing, consumer products, insurance and financial services.

In the M&A side of his practice, Scott handles public company mergers, tender offers, hostile takeovers, and many other types of strategic acquisitions and divestitures. His capital markets capabilities include representing issuers and underwriters in public and private offerings of debt and equity securities. He also guides clients through initial public offerings (IPOs), private investment in public equity (PIPE) transactions, registered direct offerings, bond offerings, private placements, and venture financings.

Prior to joining Mintz Levin, Scott was a partner in the San Diego office of a global law firm, where he served as chair of the firm’s global corporate practice group from 2010 to 2013. Earlier, he practiced at a California law firm that focused on serving technology and biotechnology clients.

Recognitions & Awards

• Recommended by The Legal 500 United States (2012–2014)
• Best Lawyers in America: Mergers and Acquisitions Law (2007-2018)
• Best Lawyers in America: Securities / Capital Markets Law (2013-2018)
• Included on the Super Lawyers list: (2007-2016, 2018)
• C. Hugh Friedman Director of the Year award, Corporate Directors Forum (2015)