Ten Directors Elected to PDA Board

Ten directors have been elected to the Private Directors Association’s National Board. The newly elected board members will take office January 1, 2026.

Five directors were elected to three-year terms and five to one-year terms, during the election which ran from Oct. 16 to Oct. 30. The election marks the final step in establishing PDA’s 15-member staggered board.

“Congratulations to our newly elected PDA Board members! We’re thrilled to welcome this inspiring group of leaders and deeply grateful to all candidates who stepped forward—your passion and commitment continue to shape the future of PDA,” said Cathy Skala, Chair of the Nominating & Governance Committee.

Election Results

Three-year terms (through 2028): - John Hale III (DC Metro), Andrea Henderson (Atlanta), Margrette Newhouse (Minnesota), Jean Nycz (Greater Philadelphia), and Dipak Shah (Southern California).

One-year terms (through 2026): Robert Barr (Chicago), Tamara Gracon (San Francisco), Megan Heinze (Atlanta), Susan Kearney (DC Metro), and Ryan Lahti (Southern California).

The 10 newly elected directors will join four board members whose terms continue: Ferey Faridian (Southern California), Anne Mervenne (Detroit-Toledo-Windsor), Bryan Stewart (At-Large), and Maryann Waryjas (Chicago).

Strong Member Participation

“PDA was fortunate to have an outstanding slate of candidate members running for our national Board this year,” said Debra McGuire, FASAE, MBA, IOM, CAE, President and CEO. “With 710 members who voted in this election—a 21% participation rate—we are grateful to those who took the time to cast their votes and have their voices heard as PDA enters into its 12th year of service to private companies and their governing boards. As we welcome our new leadership, we are also indebted to the dedicated PDA Board Directors who have provided sound direction and support in building ‘One PDA’ and will be rolling off at the conclusion of this calendar year: Chair Silvia Prickel, Subash Anbu, Valerie Darling, Catherine Nelson, Joan Netzel (Audit & Finance Committee Chair), Cathy Skala (Nominating & Governance Committee Chair), and Adis Vila.”

Board Chair Silvia Prickel expressed gratitude for the committee's efforts throughout the election cycle. "I want to extend my sincere thanks to Cathy Skala and the entire Nominating & Governance Committee for their exceptional work in managing this historic election. Their dedication to ensuring a transparent, fair, and well-organized process has been instrumental in securing strong leadership for PDA's future. The time and expertise they invested in vetting candidates, coordinating engagement opportunities, and overseeing the election process exemplifies the volunteer leadership that makes our organization thrive."

Competitive Field Reflects Member Engagement

Candidates were required to have a minimum of two years PDA membership, demonstrated governance experience, chapter engagement, and proven leadership skills.

Members had opportunities to meet candidates face-to-face at PRISM 2025, PDA’s national conference held October 7-9 in Anaheim, California, with each attending candidate hosting a table in the exhibit hall.

Staggered Structure Provides Governance Stability

This election completes the association’s multi-year transition to a staggered board structure.

The staggered approach ensures continuity in governance while regularly introducing new perspectives. Five board seats will come up for election annually going forward, preventing wholesale leadership turnover and preserving institutional knowledge.

The Nominating & Governance Committee oversaw the election with assistance from an independent third-party administrator to ensure transparency and integrity throughout the process.

About the Election Process

The 2025 board election opened for candidate applications in early June. The Nominating & Governance Committee reviewed all applications to verify qualifications before placing candidates on the ballot.

Candidates participated in multiple engagement opportunities, including two-minute video introductions posted on PDA’s website and networking sessions at the PRISM conference. Each candidate received a complimentary exhibit table at PRISM to facilitate member interactions.

All PDA members in good standing as of September 30, 2025, were eligible to vote. The association partnered with Election Services Corporation to administer the electronic voting process.