LCDA Member Spotlight: Gisel Ruiz

“Take your time to learn about the company and don’t shy away from unique or unlikely opportunities. Ask yourself: can I make a meaningful difference that’s worth making here by joining this board?”

How did you become interested in board service?

My interaction with our board of directors at Walmart, both through my executive role responsibilities and through my participation in a board mentor program, sparked my interest in learning more about board service. Through interactions and exposure over several years, I came to value and appreciate their role and how the diverse perspectives in the room came together to constructively challenge our thinking. They were there to ensure we were all protecting the long term success of the company, and beyond that our board pushed us to devel- op individually as leaders and executives. While they weren’t running our company day to day, but they absolutely had a role to play in the success of our team and business.

What competencies do you believe will serve/serves you well in a corporate board setting?

The combination of having held executive roles in Operations and Human Resources at various levels has been the best source of my development as a leader and executive. Strong financial acumen, strategic thinking and understanding of performance management in a business are key. But having said that, effective board members have well developed advisory, coaching and development skills. You are in effect coaching and constructively challenging an executive team on behalf of shareholders. I find that I lean on soft skills as much as my business skills, and always practiced with the utmost integrity and an independent mindset.

Why did you choose to accept the invitation to participate in the LCDEF BoardReady Institute (BRI)?

Former Sec. Aida Alvarez who was previously on the Walmart Board of Directors invited me to attend BRI. She has been a mentor for years and she and I share in our advocacy of Latinas and all people of color. As I learned more about LCDA and BRI, I knew I wanted to be part of the network and felt it could be an opportunity to continue my work around the development and advancement of Latinos. I also looked into the story behind LCDA, how it was founded and who was involved. I have followed and admired many of the founding LCDA and board members and I considered it an honor to have been invited into the program.

What were your biggest takeaways from the BRI program?

I was taken aback by the vast talent in my cohort. It turns out my network was quite small and was about to expand significantly with the introduction to so many wonderfully talented fellow Latino(a) executives I met. I was also encouraged by the level of support coming from search firms, private equity firms and LCDA corporate partners who recognize the gap in diverse representation on boards and want to make a difference.

LCDA is a community of US Latinos at the highest levels of corporate leadership that are committed to paying it forward, what does that mean for you?

I’m a proud member of LCDA. I believe in the mission and support the active partnership with other diverse organizations who are also working to make a difference to advance diversity, equity and inclusion across business. Not only is it the right thing to do, but research shows that companies with diverse boards and executive teams perform at a higher level. It’s a competitive advantage. An LCDA membership connect companies with ample sources of talent. At LCDA we pay it forward through our commitment to leveraging the strength of diverse perspectives in the board room by helping compa- nies source diverse board qualified, capable executives.

Do you have advice for those seeking a board seat? What to do and what not to?

Take your time to learn about the company and don’t shy away from unique or unlikely opportunities. Ask yourself:

Can I make a meaningful difference that’s worth making here by joining this board? It’s not about what value the company gives you, it’s about what value you can bring to the company because you have a seat in the board room. It’s hard work and you have to care about what you’re working towards.

How am I aligned with who they serve? This is an unusual question, but for me it’s a connection to the ultimate shareholder and customer. Draw on your personal experience as much as your professional background. Draw on what resonates with you that will fuel your curiosity and intellectual capacity.

What is their growth trajectory? Board service is not short term. Consider it as you would a long term investment. I chose to serve companies with ambition and a desire, and set path to transform either an industry or their own business. I’m interested in how companies think about innovation and relevancy in an ever-changing market and environment.