CDI Panelists

Tom Barkin is the president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. He has held this position since 2018. Tom serves on the Fed’s chief monetary policy body, the Federal Open Market Committee, and is also responsible for the Richmond Fed’s bank supervision and the Federal Reserve’s technology organization. He is “on the ground” continually in the Fed’s Fifth District, which covers South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, D.C., West Virginia and Maryland. His engagement in the region has brought real attention to areas facing economic challenges. Prior to joining the Richmond Fed, Tom was a senior partner and CFO at McKinsey & Company, a worldwide management consulting firm, where he also oversaw McKinsey’s offices in the southern United States. Tom earned his bachelor’s, MBA and law degrees from Harvard University.

Marva Bailer is a board director, CEO of Qualaix, TEDx speaker, and author of Be Unexpected. A recognized thought leader on AI governance, cybersecurity, and data-driven decision-making, her work sits at the intersection of technology, culture, and growth. Her background includes executive revenue and GTM leadership roles at IBM, Splunk, and AWS, connecting strategy, leadership capability, and governance to new market growth, revenue, and M&A outcomes that support long-term value creation. Currently serves as a board advisor to startups through mid-cap global companies. A national news contributor on AI, cybersecurity, and digital health, Marva appears on NewsNation, Fox News, and NBC. Globally recognized for leadership and change, her work has been featured in Forbes, named a Success Magazine Women of Influence and a Scarlett Abbott World Change Leader. Marva is a Certified Private Director through the Private Directors Association, serves on PDA’s National Research and Standards Committee, is an NACD member, and serves on the board of Women in Technology. She holds a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University, a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland, and executive education from Harvard University in Competing in the Age of AI. She is pursuing doctoral studies in board governance and leadership at Georgia State University.

Laurie Champion is a managing director with Marsh. She is a recognized expert in corporate risk management, enterprise risk management, and risk/governance/strategy and is accustomed to working with boards and executive teams in these areas. Laurie has worked extensively with complex and multinational clients in the manufacturing, technology/security, higher ed, healthcare, and financial institution sectors throughout her career. Among other roles, she served previously as head of risk management for Ford Motor Company and as VP risk management for Coca-Cola Enterprises. Laurie earned her MBA in finance and international business from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. She is a frequent speaker and presenter and serves as an instructor for Carnegie Mellon’s Chief Risk Officer certification program. Laurie serves on the national board for Scouting America, on the executive board for the Michigan Crossroads Council of Scouting America, where she previously chaired the board of directors, and as a national trustee for National Jewish Health in Denver, Colorado.

Ana Dutra is a Global, Veteran Board Director, 2X CEO, and Fortune 250 C-Level Executive who advises public, private, PE and family-owned company boards. She leverages 30+ years of strategic governance and P&L experience building multibillion-dollar businesses organically and via M&A, advancing Technology/Digital and Al practices, guiding sustainability strategies and identifying and mitigating enterprise risk.

Ana brings not only operational and P&L leadership across +25 countries in public/Fortune 250 companies as CEO and Senior Executive, but she has also served on 8 global public/12+ private, PE or family-owned company boards and several non-for-profits over the last 20 years. She has chaired boards as well as Nom/ Gov, Comp and Human Capital, Strategy and Technology committees. She is a Qualified Financial Expert, Qualified Technology Expert and a Qualified Risk Expert.

Ana currently serves on the board of Pembina Pipeline (NYSE: PBA), Carparts.com (NASDAQ: PTRS), Lifespace, ELJ and the Latino Corporate Directors Association. She is a senior faculty member of NACD, University of Chicago Booth, Kellogg and Fundacao Don Cabral. Ana holds a Masters in Economics, a Law Degree and an MBA from Kellogg. She started her career as a Professor of Economics and Finance in Brazil.

Ana is the proud mother of 3 daughters and is an avid yoga practitioner and instructor, triathlete and tennis player. She lives in Florida with her husband and their rescue dogs.

Mark Dajani served as Senior Vice President of Global Business Services and Chief Information Officer at Carlsberg Group, based in Copenhagen, Denmark. In this role, Mark was responsible for the company’s business services, including information technology and digital transformation.

Prior to Carlsberg, Mark was the Head of Global Business Services for Mondelēz International in Chicago, Illinois. He was responsible for all aspects of Information Technology, Process Excellence, and Enterprise Shared Services. He was appointed to this expanded role upon the launch of Mondelēz International in October 2012, following the separation of the Kraft Foods North American grocery business.

Before joining Kraft Foods in 2004, Mark spent 13 years at Altria, where he led several functions within the Information Systems and Supply Chain organizations. He began his career constructing and managing manufacturing facilities for FritoLay, Inc. and the Perrier Group of America.

Currently, he is pursuing his passion for sailing; along with his wife, Suzie, and “Noora the Explorer” dog, he is sailing extensively, including continental crossings.

Mark holds an undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering and a Master of Business Administration.

Tammy Finley is Of Counsel at the Gentry Locke law firm in Roanoke, Virginia. Previously, she served as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Advance Auto Parts, Inc. (NYSE: AAP), a leading provider of automotive aftermarket parts, accessories, batteries and maintenance items. Advance operates over 4500 stores in U.S. and Canada, serving both the do-it-yourself and professional installer customer markets. In her executive role, Tammy oversaw Advance’s legal function, including corporate compliance and ethics. She also served as Corporate Secretary, advising Advance’s Board of Directors on corporate governance matters.

Tammy held multiple senior leadership positions at Advance during her 25+ year tenure, including overseeing its legal, compliance, human resources and communications functions, as well as risk management, ESG strategy/disclosures and community/government relations. Tammy was a labor and employment attorney with The Center for Employment Law, PC prior to joining Advance. She also clerked with the Virginia Supreme Court.

Tammy received her law degree from the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William & Mary. She received her undergraduate degree from Virginia Tech.

Tammy served on the Board of Directors of American National Bankshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMNB) from September 2017 to April 2024 when AMNB merged with Atlantic Union Bankshares Corporation (NYSE: AUB). She served on AMNB’s Compensation, Audit, Risk (Chair) and Technology (Chair) committees. She currently serves on several private/nonprofit boards, including the Hotel Roanoke Foundation, Inc., the Virginia Western Community College Educational Foundation, the Taubman Museum of Art, the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, where she co-chairs its Legal Institute, and the Blue Ridge Innovation Corridor.

Pat Haggerty is a managing director with Pearl Meyer. With over 25 years of experience, Pat advises boards and senior management on incentive compensation design, corporate governance, and performance measurement. The objective is to support business strategy, value creation, and shareholder interests. Pat has particular expertise in addressing compensation challenges unique to private and publicly traded companies.

Julie Hodges is a seasoned human resources executive with over 25 years of global leadership experience at two of the world’s most iconic entertainment companies: The Walt Disney Company and Activision Blizzard.

A strategic advisor to boards and compensation committees, Julie excels in aligning talent strategies with complex business transformations, governance requirements, and large-scale M&A.

As Chief People Officer at Activision Blizzard, Julie orchestrated the HR transformation and led critical people-related workstreams for the $70 billion merger with Microsoft.

At Disney, she served in numerous senior roles, including SVP of Corporate HR, Total Rewards & Talent Acquisition, where she shaped executive compensation strategies and guided HR integration for the $71 billion acquisition of 21st Century Fox. Earlier, as SVP of HR for Disney Parks and Resorts, she oversaw human resources for more than 130,000 global employees while supporting major expansions, including Shanghai Disney Resort and new cruise ships.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Resources from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

John Howard is the President and Chairman of The Grainger Foundation, a leading private foundation located in Lake Forest, Illinois focused on promoting science education, healthcare, cultural institutions, and fostering entrepreneurship. He previously spent 24 years as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of W.W. Grainger, Inc., а Fortune 500 industrial distributor, where he advised the Board and executive leadership in navigating complex regulatory, organizational, and competitive challenges.

Prior to joining the private sector, Mr. Howard held several senior positions in the Federal government, including Associate Deputy Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice and Counsel to the Vice President at the White House.

Mr. Howard has authored multiple articles on corporate law, compliance, and ethics. He currently is a presenter on corporate governance in Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management Executive Education program. He is a Member of Hyde Park Angels, a leading early-stage investment group, where he helps identify and support high-potential companies.

Mr. Howard is a Fellow of the American College of Governance Counsel and a Life Member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He earned an LLM degree from The George Washington University and JD and BS degrees from Indiana University and completed the Advanced Management Program at the Harvard Business School.

Jeri Isbell serves on two public company boards which include Atkore International (NYSE:ATKR) and SiteOne Landscape Supply Inc (NYSE:SITE). She chairs the Nominating and Governance Committee at Atkore and the HR and Compensation Committee at SiteOne.

As demonstration of her commitment to excellence in corporate governance, she is an NACD Board Leadership Fellow and is NACD Directorship Certified. She was selected as an NACD Directorship 100 honoree in 2021.

An experienced corporate executive whose background combines both Human Resources and Finance, Isbell served more than 10 years as the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) at Lexmark International, where she was known for her passion for employee development and mentoring, executive succession planning, and inclusion and belonging. Prior to her CHRO role, she worked more than seven years in the finance and accounting areas including serving as the US Controller and Chief Financial Officer for Lexmark’s largest division. She is also a certified public accountant and an SEC designated qualified financial expert.

Susan Keating has extensive experience as a chief executive and board member for financial services companies and membership organizations. She is recognized for her leadership impact and deep understanding of industry consolidation, regulation and risk management, and is a global corporate governance expert on best practices and emerging trends. She has served on bank and insurance company board audit, finance, compensation and executive committees. Susan is currently Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Board Risk Committee (BRC). The BRC is the foremost thought leadership peer council for Board directors and executives such as Chief Risk Officers who have oversight responsibility and accountability for risk.

Jay Millen is Managing Partner of Caldwell’s CEO & Board Practice and leads the firm’s Charleston office. He advises public and private companies on senior executive recruitment, board and CEO succession, and leadership development across agribusiness, natural resources, real assets, manufacturing, fintech, and defense technologies.

Before joining Caldwell, Jay served as Vice Chairman and Head of the Board and CEO Practice at DHR and previously as a Senior Client Partner at Korn Ferry, where he was Global Sector Leader for Basic Materials and Managing Director of Strategic Client Partnerships in the Americas. Earlier, he led Accenture’s global natural resources practice from London, focusing on M&A and strategic transformation for multinational industrial and infrastructure companies.

Jay’s operating background includes senior engineering and operations leadership roles with Tenneco, International Paper, and a private equity venture. He began his career as a U.S. Army infantry and special operations officer after graduating from West Point and holds an MBA from Xavier University. He is active in community, faith-based, and veteran support organizations in Charleston, South Carolina.

Andrea Muller is a financial services executive with diverse global experience in asset management, credit rating, investment banking, and securities law at large multinational firms, including Principal Financial Group, Fitch Ratings, UBS, and A&O Shearman. Andrea spent most of her professional career outside the US, including fifteen years in Asia, ten years in Europe, as well as eight years in the United States. She has served as a board director for several asset management firms. Andrea is currently a director at Grantham, Mayo, Van Otterloo & Co (“GMO”), chairs the audit committee and serves on the compensation committee. She also serves as a board director for Blockstream Corporation, the global leader in Bitcoin and blockchain technologies, chairs the audit committee and is a member of the strategy committee. At Burford Capital Limited (NYSE/LSE) she served as director and on the audit and nominating and governance committees. Andrea is a member of the Digital Directors Network and Co-Chair of the private company steering committee for Women Corporate Directors. Andrea received a JD from Georgetown Law Center, a BS degree from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and a Masters in European Union studies from the College of Europe in Belgium. Andrea resides in Florida and California.

Peter Thies is a Managing Director at Pearl Meyer. Prior to joining Pearl Meyer, Peter was the co-founder and President of The River Group, a boutique consultancy acquired by Pearl Meyer. He has 30 years of experience helping global companies implement strategic, organizational changes. Present and past clients include public company CEOs and executives in a range of industries, including Financial Services, Consumer Products, Healthcare, Retail, Industrial, Professional Services, Telecommunications, and the nonprofit sector.

Andrew (AJ) Leone is a strategic executive and board director with over 30 years of leadership spanning high-stakes military operations, commercial real estate, and private equity. A retired Brigadier General, AJ specializes in guiding $60B+ defense portfolios and scaling high-value commercial ventures through disciplined governance and operational excellence.

At the Pentagon, AJ served as the Mobilization Assistant to the Air Force Acquisition Deputy, providing high-level oversight for the service’s most critical procurement and modernization efforts. As Director of the Joint Reserve Directorate, he steered $13B in DoD Research & Engineering spend, notably spearheading a “bullpen” of elite subject matter experts to accelerate national Hypersonic technology priorities.

In the private sector, AJ is a proven operator and investor. He co-founded and scaled Charleston Collision into a premier multi-site enterprise, culminating in a successful M&A exit to a $1.6B industry leader. Today, he manages a diverse commercial real estate portfolio of 70+ properties and provides strategic counsel to for-profit and non-profit boards.

AJ holds an MBA from Auburn University and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He is a recipient of the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal and the Legion of Merit.

Johnny Lee is a forensic investigator, management consultant, and attorney who leads the Forensic Technology practice at Grant Thornton. With over 30 years of professional experience, he helps clients navigate complex forensic issues, including cybersecurity and fraud investigations, AI governance and implementation, cryptocurrency asset tracing, and information privacy reviews – all leveraging forensic data analytics.

He is also a published author and frequent speaker on topics related to his expertise: AI, blockchain, cybersecurity, digital assets, fraud, computer forensics, eDiscovery, and the effective use (and risk management) of IT. He maintains the ForensicUpdate.com blog, and he can be found on Linked In here. Johnny received his Juris Doctorate from the Georgia State University College of Law and his Bachelor’s degree from Emory University. He was admitted to the State Bar of Georgia in 2000, where he maintains an active law license.

He has delivered solutions to a variety of industries and stakeholders – including outside counsel, general counsel, boards of directors, audit committees, regulators, and chief executives. He has also authored numerous pioneering methodologies and provided expert testimony in high-profile cases.

Click here for a list of select speaking engagements, press mentions, and other contributions.