Suggestions
Cassie Nielsen
Talent Partner at VMG Partners
Cassie Burr is a prominent figure in the consumer industry and a champion for gender diversity in corporate leadership. She is currently the CEO of the Women on Boards Project, a nonprofit organization she co-founded in early 2020.12 The organization aims to increase the number of women serving on consumer company boards while also expanding diversity in other aspects such as race, ethnicity, age, socio-economic status, and sexual orientation.2
Prior to her current role, Burr served as a Talent Partner at VMG Partners, a private equity firm specializing in iconic consumer brands.13 She has extensive experience in talent acquisition and development, having worked at Goldman Sachs and SPMB in various recruiting and talent management roles.3
As an Angel Investor and Limited Partner at The Council, Burr continues to support and invest in promising ventures.3 Her LinkedIn profile (username: cassienlsn) showcases her professional journey and her commitment to promoting diversity in leadership positions.3
Burr's work with the Women on Boards Project has led to significant achievements, including the placement of over 50 women into new board roles across various companies such as Stone Brewing, Simple Mills, and Backcountry.com.3 Her efforts have been recognized in the industry, and she was named one of the NOSH Notables in 2023 for her contributions to bringing diverse voices into executive ranks.4
Highlights
LET'S GET LOUD! The Women On Boards Project is hiring a part-time, paid Community Manager to help us celebrate and amplify the incredible work of our organization. We're on a mission to increase the representation of women serving on successful consumer company boards. While doing so, we have the honor of working with some of the most accomplished and prestigious investors, companies and people. Come help us create some much needed buzz and provocation. And be part of some incredible change across our industry.
Learn more and apply here: https://lnkd.in/gZF2ZgEQ
Women Supporting Women! On International Women’s Day, we gathered a room full of the most inspiring, supportive and wonderful women at Expo West. This event first started when VMG Co-Founder Kara Roell brought five of us together for dinner in 2018… reminding us that we have to stick together and support, celebrate and amplify each other. Rather than fit in among the guys, Kara recognized that being a woman in this industry is a unique asset. She encouraged so many of us to embrace who we are as women... as moms, sisters, daughters, friends, caregivers, nurturers... as feminine, empathetic, calculated, thorough and beyond. She lifted us up, gave us a louder voice, reminded us of our value and removed obstacles so other women could succeed.
When Kara passed away, we created the Kara Roell Achievement Award to honor her and recognize women who are going above and beyond to support other women. Our first annual recipient was Perfect Snacks CoFounder and Chief Brand and Mission Officer Leigh Keith. Last night we got to celebrate our second recipient Chris Lansing… an incredible people-oriented leader who has spent her career building diverse teams, advocating for her people, working to add more women to boards and working tirelessly to elevate others. There are so many who can credit Chris for positively enriching their careers… including myself. So delighted to celebrate you, friend.
A Kara favorite… we did an ice breaker encouraging everyone to meet someone new and share your favorite “life hack”. We learned you should travel with dryer sheets to keep clothes smelling fresh, travel with your electric toothbrush, book flights on Tuesdays for the best prices, use the Honey chrome app before buying anything online, and start your day drinking a full glass of water with chia seeds and electrolytes. I only collected a few of the pro tips that were shared, so I hope others will comment with theirs!
Thank you to our hosts… VMG Partners, BraunHagey & Borden LLP and Women On Boards Project - specifically my co-hosts Allison Hagey and Julia Adams… love you ladies. This all couldn’t have happened with the amazing work of Rebecca Florman, Emily Munoz and Sierra Talavera.
#internationalwomensday #womenonboards #expowest
