On October 22, women leaders from across North Texas gathered at Southern Methodist University for an afternoon centered on a consequential question: How do more women gain access to the rooms where major decisions are made?
The 50/50 Women on Boards Dallas-Fort Worth Conversation on Board Leadership, hosted at SMU Cox School of Business’ James M. Collins Executive Education Center, connected attendees with experienced corporate directors for candid conversation about board service, leadership and navigating the journey toward a seat at the table.
The featured conversation brought together Nina Vaca, founder and CEO of Pinnacle Group and a board director for Austin Industries and Cinemark; Deb Byers, an advisor with YS and former independent director at DTE Energy; Stefani Carter, an attorney and board director for Axos Bank and Wheeler REIT; and Nancy Loewe, CFO of Cellink Corporation and a board director for Cinemark.
Rather than simply presenting a traditional panel, the program was designed to be interactive and participant-driven, giving women an opportunity to engage with experienced leaders, ask questions about their own board journeys and build relationships with other accomplished women across the region.
The conversation comes at a consequential moment for women seeking greater influence in corporate America. According to the newly released 2026 Gender Diversity Index from 50/50 Women on Boards, women hold just 29.2% of board seats among Russell 3000 companies, down from 30.1% a year earlier and marking the first annual decline in women’s representation in more than a decade. Women of color hold an even smaller share — just 7.1% of those board seats. Those numbers underscore why gatherings like the one at SMU matter in Dallas: access to experienced directors, professional networks and candid conversations about how board appointments actually happen can help turn leadership potential into opportunity. For a city powered by major corporations, entrepreneurs and an increasingly diverse business community, ensuring that women — particularly Black women and other women historically excluded from corporate leadership — are positioned not simply to participate in the economy, but to help govern the institutions shaping it, is a conversation worth continuing.
The gathering also reflects the role institutions such as SMU can play as conveners for conversations around women’s advancement, representation and access to leadership opportunities. Creating the space for these discussions matters, particularly when the conversation moves beyond recognizing accomplished women and toward helping more women understand how to position themselves for leadership and governance roles.
