About us
Diligent Institute informs, educates, and connects leaders to champion governance excellence.
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We provide original, cutting-edge research on the most pressing issues in corporate governance, certifications and educational programs that equip leaders with the knowledge and credentials needed to guide their organizations through existential challenges, and peer networks that convene directors and corporate executives to share best practices and insights.
The team
Nithya Das
Chief Legal & Administrative Officer
Nithya Das
Chief Legal & Administrative Officer
Nithya B. Das serves as the Chief Legal Officer and Chief Administrative Officer for Diligent. Nithya is responsible for leading Diligent’s global legal team and overseeing the Diligent Institute, the modern governance think tank and global research arm of Diligent.
Nithya also serves as a member of the board of directors and the compensation committee at Outbrain Inc. (Nasdaq: OB), a leading technology platform that drives business results by engaging people across the open internet. Additionally, Nithya serves on the Executive Board of TechGC.
Nithya was previously the chief operating and chief legal officer and corporate secretary at Olo (NYSE: OLO), an enterprise SaaS platform for restaurants, where she led the company through an IPO and transformation to a multi-product platform company. She served as the company’s founding general counsel and also oversaw its people and culture, strategy and operations, corporate development, partner ecosystem, and shared technology teams. Prior to Olo, Nithya served as chief legal and people officer at AppNexus, an enterprise advertising technology platform, where she led the company from start-up to global enterprise platform including leading its IPO process and ultimate acquisition by AT&T. Nithya previously served as an attorney at Goodwin Procter LLP in the technology companies practice and was a founding contributor of Founder’s Workbench, the first online legal resource for the startup community.
Nithya is a recipient of the National Organization for Women’s Women of Power and Influence Award, the American Bar Association’s Legal Rebel recognition, and a passionate advocate for women in leadership, DEIB, and ESG.
Nithya holds a degree in Business Administration from the SC Honors College at USC and a J.D., cum laude, from Brooklyn Law School. She lives in Hoboken, NJ with her husband, two daughters, and her labradoodle.
Dottie Schindlinger
Executive Director
Dottie Schindlinger
Executive Director
Dottie Schindlinger is Executive Director of the Diligent Institute, the modern governance think tank and global research arm of Diligent Corporation. In her role, Dottie directs the Institute’s thought leadership on corporate governance and related topics. She also serves as a lead spokesperson for both Diligent Institute and Diligent Corporation, giving dozens of presentations to boards and executives at events around the globe. Dottie’s work has been featured in Fortune, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and multiple governance and technology publications. She is co-author of the book, Governance in the Digital Age: A Guide for the Modern Corporate Board Director, ©2019, John Wiley & Sons, and she co-hosts the fortnightly show, The Corporate Director Podcast.
Dottie brings over twenty years’ experience in governance-related roles, including serving as a director, officer, committee chair, senior executive, governance consultant and trainer for private, public, and nonprofit boards. She was a founding team member of the tech start-up BoardEffect, a board management software provider focused on healthcare and nonprofit boards, acquired by Diligent in 2016. She served as the Vice Chair of the Board of the Alice Paul Institute until April 2020, and is a Fellow of the Salzburg Global Seminar on Corporate Governance. Dottie is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and lives in suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with her husband, Ron.
Emily Williams
Director of Programs
Emily Williams
Director of Programs
Emily Williams is the Director of Programs for the Diligent Institute. In her role at the Diligent Institute Emily is growing the Institute’s reach with certification programs and other director-facing education programs to enable corporate leaders to fully embrace modern governance and positively impact their companies, shareholders, stakeholders and communities.
Emily brings with her 10 years’ experience in marketing, having led global projects and programs. Prior to joining Diligent, Emily worked in a variety of marketing roles across technology, recruitment and SaaS industries. She holds a BA in Business Management from Lancaster University and a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Professional Marketing from Oxford College of Marketing.
Kira Ciccarelli
Lead Research Specialist
Kira Ciccarelli
Lead Research Specialist
Kira Ciccarelli is the Lead Research Specialist of the Diligent Institute, the modern governance think tank and global research arm of Diligent Corporation. In her role, Kira researches and produces high-level modern governance reports, blog articles and podcasts designed to inform director decision-making and highlight best practices.
Before joining Diligent, Kira worked in a variety of data-driven research roles, including analyzing global aid funds to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and compiling a meta-analysis of political experimental findings for the Analyst Institute. She holds a BA in Public Policy from the College of William & Mary.
Rebecca Sherratt
Programs Manager
Rebecca Sherratt
Programs Manager
As Diligent Institute’s Programs Manager, Rebecca oversees and curates Diligent’s e-learning certifications for board members and executive leaders, equipping leaders with the knowledge, resources and insights needed to govern effectively.
Prior to this role, she worked at sister company Diligent Market Intelligence (formerly Insightia), managing data-driven reports on investor stewardship and corporate governance trends. She also served as the editor of stewardship magazines Proxy Monthly and Insightia Monthly.
Advisory board
Rahul K. Bhardwaj
President and CEO of Institute of Corporate Directors (Canada)
Rahul K. Bhardwaj
President and CEO of Institute of Corporate Directors (Canada)
As President and CEO of the Institute of Corporate Directors, Rahul Bhardwaj leads an organization of more than 16,000 members committed to improving national outcomes by growing the board leadership and governance capacities within Canadian businesses, agencies and not-for-profits.
Mr. Bhardwaj currently serves on the boards of Waterfront Toronto, the Institute of Corporate Directors, the Canadian Foundation for Governance Research as well as the Leader Council at the Ian O. Ihnatowycz Institute for Leadership at Ivey Business School. He is a Director Emeritus of the Rideau Hall Foundation as well as the current Chair of the Global Network of Director Institutes, a global network representing more than 150,000 directors. which is focused on enhancing the capability of directors to drive sustainable performance for the benefit of shareholders, the economy and society.
He was Chair of the 2012 Ontario Summer Games, the first multi-sport games to be held in Toronto, and was Co-chair of TO2015 IGNITE, a program of the Toronto 2015 Pan Am & Parapan Am Games. Other past board commitments include a founding board member of Metrolinx and Chair of the Governance Committee, Chair of the Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival, Chair of Community Foundations of Canada, Upper Canada College, George Brown College, Stratford Festival of Canada and United Way of Toronto,
among others.
Prior to joining the ICD, Mr. Bhardwaj was a corporate lawyer at a leading Canadian law firm, and then later, President and CEO of the Toronto Foundation, where he focused on engaging philanthropy to improve the quality of life in Toronto. He was also Vice President of the Toronto 2008 Olympic Bid and, as part of the Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Fiscal review panel in 2008, Mr. Bhardwaj was involved in identifying efficiencies for the City of Toronto.
In 2012, Mr. Bhardwaj’s commitment to city building was recognized as he received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. He has been named one of “The 50 Most Influential” people in the city by Toronto Life magazine and was named to the Quadrangle Society at Massey College. His corporate governance vision has made Mr. Bhardwaj a sought-after presenter, speaker and media commentator, in Canada and across the globe.
Anddria Clack-Rogers Varnado
Divisional President & GM: Kohler Company Board Member: Umpqua Bank, Red Robin Gourmet Burgers
Anddria Clack-Rogers Varnado
Divisional President & GM: Kohler Company Board Member: Umpqua Bank, Red Robin Gourmet Burgers
Anddria Clack-Rogers Varnado is Vice President & GM of Kohler’s Consumer Business. With previous roles at Macy’s Inc. and Williams-Sonoma, Inc. to name a few, Anddria is committed to enhancing the quality of lives and businesses through her work with innovative and forward-thinking consumer brands. In Chief Strategy Officer and General Manager roles, Anddria has overseen acquisitions, new brand and business developments, and critical business transformations. Anddria’s accomplishments include a game-changing pivot into retail with the leading the acquisition of Outward, Inc., an innovative 3-D imaging company at the intersection of retail and technology, executing on the company’s vision to shape the future of home shopping. Additionally, Anddria led the launch and operations of new brands, product collections and digital services adapting her organizations to new retail experiences. She extends her professional engagements as a Board Director with Umpqua Bank and Red Robin Gourmet Burgers. Anddria received a MBA from Harvard and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Clark Atlanta University, and currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area. As a committed champion of culture and talent development in her communities, Anddria participates in programs for STEM and business education. Her professional work and development insights have earned recognition in several publications, including Forbes, Architectural Digest, Black Enterprise, and The Everygirl; and The San Francisco Business Times honored Anddria as one of the “Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business.”
Susan Forrester
Chair, South Bank Corporation, Non-Executive Director, Jumbo Interactive, Healthengine Ltd, and Plenti Ltd
Susan Forrester
Chair, South Bank Corporation, Non-Executive Director, Jumbo Interactive, Healthengine Ltd, and Plenti Ltd
For more than 30 years, Susan has been privileged to work with some of Australia’s leading public and private companies and corporate regulators as Chair, board member, chief executive officer and corporate counsel. This has included being Chair and Non-executive Director roles at nine ASX-listed companies; and executive roles, including as CEO and HR Director, in the finance, technology, energy, property, and health industries. Susan blends extensive board and management experience to lead companies undergoing rapid change and ensure robust governance. Each of her current NED roles is in the technology sector and includes:
TK Kerstetter
Founder and CEO of Boardroom Resources, Co-Founder of Corporate Board Member
TK Kerstetter
Founder and CEO of Boardroom Resources, Co-Founder of Corporate Board Member
TK Kerstetter is the founder and CEO of Boardroom Resources, a Diligent Company since 2017, Co-founder of Corporate Board Member, and host of “Inside America’s Boardrooms” which is filmed at the New York Stock Exchange. “Inside America’s Boardrooms” is the premier informational webshow for boards of directors, senior executives, GCs, and corporate secretaries of public companies. In 2019 Kerstetter also started and hosts Diligent’s “Inside Europe’s Boardrooms” and “Inside Australia’s Boardrooms.” Prior to launching Boardroom Resources in 2015, Kerstetter served as Chairman of NYSE Governance Services and President of NYSE Board Member after the New York Stock Exchange acquired Board Member Inc. where he served as Chief Executive Officer and built the nationally recognized brands Corporate Board Member and Bank Director. He also serves as a senior fellow for The Conference Board. Prior to board work, Kerstetter served as President and director of the $3 billion publicly-held Wilmington Savings Fund Society spanning a 20-year banking career. A graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) and Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program, he was the recipient of the university’s Outstanding Alumni Award and was inducted into IUP’s Sports Hall of Fame.
Susan Kilsby
Board Member at Diageo; Fortune Brands Home & Security; Unilever
Susan Kilsby
Board Member at Diageo; Fortune Brands Home & Security; Unilever
Susan Kilsby is Chairman of Fortune Brands Home and Security. She is also the Senior Independent Director and Chair of the Remuneration Committee at Diageo and a non-executive director of Unilever, and NHS England. She was previously Chairman of Shire plc and a non-executive director at BHP Limited. Susan brings to her roles extensive M&A and finance experience having enjoyed a distinguished global career in investment banking. Susan is also a former Director of Goldman Sachs International, Keurig Green Mountain, Inc., L’Occitane International S.A., BBA Aviation and Coca-Cola HBC AG.
Colin Low
Global Independent Board Director & former Chairman of the Board
Colin Low
Global Independent Board Director & former Chairman of the Board
Colin is a Global Independent Board Director and Senior Advisor with board and executive management experiences across US, Europe and Asia. His professional and board experience straddles both consumer and commercial capital & finance sectors. They include private equity, M&A, and managed investment portfolios with MNCs and government sovereign funds across multiple sectors: renewables, infrastructure, technology, energy, oil & gas, marine and industrials, real estate and healthcare. Leveraging on the extensive experiences at GE as President of GE International and Region Executive for South East Asia, and being one of four GE’s investment Board Director for the Asia Pacific region, Colin joined board training at Insead University in Fontainbleau France in 2012. He attained certification as an International Board Director in Feb 2013 and for Leading from the Chair in March 2014. Colin was certified (July 2022) in New York as a Climate Change Leader by the Diligent Institute. This is one of the world’s first structured board program to enable C-Suite Executives and Board Directors to oversee climate change risks and strategy, as well as to meet business challenges and opportunities for climate change.
Colin currently sits on various public and private companies as an Independent Board Director including AET Tankers Limited, a global lessor and owner/operator of a fleet of petroleum tankers (Chairman of the Audit & Risk Management Committee); Jason Marine Group, a telecommunications & SATCOM equipment and services provider for offshore vessels and oil platforms operating in the Asia region; and Advisory Board Member of the Diligent Institute. He also mentors and coaches public and private companies C-Suite executives on an individual basis. He is a Fellow of the Hong Kong Institute of Directors and a Lifetime Fellow of the Singapore Institute of Directors. Colin is a member of the INSEAD Director Network, a global network of international board directors and Corporate Governance experts.
Aniel Mahabier
Founder of INOP
Aniel Mahabier
Founder of INOP
Aniel Mahabier is the founder of INOP, the impact driven professional networking platform based on core beliefs, values and interests. A seasoned entrepreneur, innovator and global business executive with extensive experience in building teams, products and sales strategies that transform businesses and accelerate growth, Aniel was the Founder and CEO of CGLytics, a leading global ESG SaaS provider for Corporate Governance & Executive Compensation data analytics, which Diligent Corporation acquired in 2018.
Aniel currently sits on the advisory board of ZMH Advisors, a strategic shareholder advisory and engagement firm; Reward Value; the Diligent Institute and invests in early-stage tech companies. Before CGLytics, he spent 20+ years in the financial services sector in the field of ESG, Human Resources, Business transformation and Corporate Development. He has worked closely with leading investors, corporate boards, and their advisors. Aniel is a frequent speaker at industry events and has provided thought leadership content in multiple publications including Harvard, NBC, Financial Times and Yahoo Finance. Aniel is currently based in Amsterdam.
Lothar Schröder
Board Member: Deutsche Telekom (Supervisory Board), Telekom Foundation (Board of Trustees) Affiliations: Chairman of the Data Protection Advisory Board of Deutsche Telekom AG, and Member of the German Parliament’s Study Commission on Artificial Intelligence
Lothar Schröder
Board Member: Deutsche Telekom (Supervisory Board), Telekom Foundation (Board of Trustees) Affiliations: Chairman of the Data Protection Advisory Board of Deutsche Telekom AG, and Member of the German Parliament’s Study Commission on Artificial Intelligence
Lothar Schröder chairs the Innovation Committee of Deutsche Telekom’s Supervisory Board and is also the Chairman of the company’s Data Protection Advisory Board. He serves as a Member of the German Parliament’s Study Commission on Artificial Intelligence and has more than 30 years of experience in the fields of Technology, Work Innovation, Data Security, and IT and Data Processing.
Lothar serves as an advisor in numerous research projects on employee data protection, artificial intelligence and the future of work. His recent publications include:
- “Practice Manual for Artificial Intelligence,” Bund Verlag
- “A warm voice creeps into your ear – The Curses and Blessings of Artificial Intelligence,” Trade Union Answers; VSA publishing house, 2019
- “Human images, visions, norms, and orientations for good work with AI,” published in Latency – Journal of Philosophy and Society, Work and Technology, Art and Culture, Talheimer publishing house 2019
- “The Digital Staircase – Chances and Risks of Digitalization,” Bund Verlag, 2016
Brian Stafford
CEO of Diligent
Brian Stafford
CEO of Diligent
Brian Stafford is the chief executive officer at Diligent Corporation, the leader in modern governance providing SaaS solutions across governance, risk, compliance and ESG with more than $500 million in revenue and most recently a $7 billion company valuation. Diligent currently serves more than one million users, from over 25,000 organizations around the globe.
Diligent empowers nearly 80% of the Fortune 500, 90% of the FTSE 100 and 80% of the ASX 200 with SaaS solutions to keep pace with stakeholder expectations and create lasting, positive impact on the world. The company’s innovative GRC platform gives leaders a connected view of governance, risk, compliance and ESG across their organizations, sparking the insights they need to make better decisions and lead with purpose.
Brian assumed the role of CEO in March 2015 and is responsible for all day-to-day operations. Brian has drawn a number of leadership accolades. In 2021, he was recognized by the Stevie Awards as an Executive of the Year in the International Business Awards and he won People Focused CEO of the Year in the Great Employers of the Year Awards.
He previously served as a Partner at McKinsey & Company, where he founded and led its Growth Stage Tech Practice. Brian is the co-author of Governance in the Digital Age and serves on the board of directors of Diligent Corporation and Brooklyn Academy of Music.
Brian holds a master’s degree in computer science from the University of Chicago and a bachelor’s degree in science from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Brian, his wife, and their two young children live in New York City.