Overview
Private Directors Association members are invited to an exclusive fireside chat with Avisha Mehra Naganath, Operating Partner at Khosla Ventures, and Tina Shah Paikeday, former Global DEI Practice Leader at Russell Reynolds and now Head of the Leadership Advisory Center of Excellence at Findem.

In this conversation, we'll explore how top venture investors identify and recruit independent board directors, what skills and experiences matter most at different stages of company growth, and how prospective board candidates can stand out. This session will offer practical, insider guidance to help PDA members position themselves for board service in the venture-backed ecosystem.

Registration:
PDA Members: $30
Non-Members: $45

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Avisha Mehra Naganath Operating Partner Khosla Ventures

Avisha is an Operating Partner, Talent at Khosla Ventures, a $16 billion venture capital firm in Silicon Valley with investments in companies like Square, Stripe, OpenAI, DoorDash, Glean, Instacart, GitLab, Affirm, Faire, RingCentral, Impossible Foods, Opendoor, and 400 others.
She works directly with founding teams and executive leadership across Khosla’s portfolio to build and shape high-impact executive teams and boards. Avisha has led searches and placed multiple leaders in key operational roles as well as independent board seats. She also launched and runs the KV board directors’ program, designed to connect outstanding, diverse talent with board opportunities across the portfolio.
Prior to joining Khosla Ventures, Avisha was with Korn Ferry, a leading organizational strategy and consulting firm. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Stanford University, where she was deeply engaged in student community life.

Tina Shah Paikeday Head of the Leadership Advisory Center of Excellence Findem

Tina Shah Paikeday is a strategic advisor to executives across large public enterprises, high- growth private companies and investment firms. She is currently General Manager of the Leadership Advisory Center of Excellence at Findem.ai, a growth equity backed talent intelligence platform that enables leaders to make precise, evidence-based people decisions using robust data powered by AI. Previously, Tina was a partner at Russell Reynolds Associates, where she built and led the Global DEI Practice. Before that, she founded and led the boutique Talent Advisory Board, was instrumental in growing the people analytics practice at the Corporate Executive Board and began her career in management consulting at McKinsey & Company.
Tina received a B.S. in Commerce with distinction from the University of Virginia with concentrations in Finance and Management Information Systems in 1994 and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 1998. A life-long learner, Tina is currently completing her PhD in Executive Management at the Drucker School of Management. She is certified in assessment by Hogan, executive coaching by International Coaching Federation, mindful leadership by Spirit Rock and AI strategy by UC Berkeley. ’s expertise spans global leadership selection, assessment, development, succession, and inclusion. She is now pioneering the integration of artificial intelligence into leadership advisory solutions. Her research explores how artificial intelligence is transforming critical leadership decisions. Tina bridges theory with lived experience in teaching leaders on the use of AI in executive decision- making.
As a frequent speaker and published thought leader, Tina has contributed to major business publications including The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Forbes, The Financial Times, and Bloomberg. Her recent research, Slow Thinking Fast: How AI Trumps Human Bias, was featured in the California Management Review, and she presented related insights at TEDx @ CGU. She has authored dozens of white papers including those published by Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance. Her speaking engagements span global forums such as the World Economic Forum, Asia Pacific Economic Council, Singapore Institute of Directors,

James Crouch Principal Laurel Street Capital

James is a finance executive and board advisor with over 25 years of experience spanning institutional capital markets, corporate strategy, and operational finance. He is the Principal of Laurel Street Capital, a boutique advisory and fractional CFO firm that partners with lower middle-market companies and investors to improve cash flow visibility, capital readiness, and financial discipline. Through this work, he supports founder-led and investor-backed businesses with transaction support, growth planning, and financial restructuring.
Previously, James spent nearly two decades at Morgan Stanley, where he held senior leadership roles, including Deputy COO for the Institutional Equity Division. Earlier in his career, he served as Head of International Equity Sales for the U.S. West Coast, advising asset managers and hedge funds on global equity strategies and helping international corporates access institutional capital. Prior roles at Citigroup and Credit Lyonnais Securities grounded his expertise in equity research, valuation, and capital formation.
In addition to his PDA leadership as Chair of the Board Directors Opportunities Committee, he has served on the Board of Trustees of Scripps College and on advisory boards for IHS Markit and several early-stage AI and fintech ventures.

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