A panel of three women corporate directors and one male executive search professional was videotaped at Stanford Business Schools’ April 2008 session, "Gaining on Governance," hosted by Evelyn Williams, director of the Center for Leadership Development & Research. View the video here.

It was especially refreshing to hear Elizabeth Davilla "respectfully disagree" with the traditional belief that women's service on nonprofit boards (in today's tougher post-Sarbanes-Oxley marketplace) provides skills that are transferable to the for-profit financial demands of public company director roles.

Patti Hart also emphasized that boards are looking for financial competence and global experience.

John Thompson of Hiedrick & Struggles warned that women also need to be wary of the negative perception of “over-boarding”– specifically women overcommitted to too many nonprofit boards. Be prepared to get off some in order to meet the new challenges of for-profit board schedules.

It was surprising though how few women were in the audience -- maybe it was finals' week?