Tracy Harris

With over 20 years as a chief financial officer in various public and private organizations, Tracy Harris was more than ready to be a successful candidate to join the Advisory Committee of Untangle, a start-up beauty and wellness company.

The initial call came from Marguerete Luter, Chair of The Leadership Foundry Committee of Women in Technology (WIT).  She told Tracy that she had been contacted by the Newport Group, an executive search company, looking for graduates of The Leadership Foundry with a financial background to serve on an Advisory Committee. During the subsequent interview, the company found that Tracy had experience raising capital for startups. It turned out that they were looking for people with startup experience, so Tracy was a perfect fit for the advisory position!

Tracy’s appointment with Untangle was announced in April 2017. Amazingly, in May 2017 she was also invited to serve on the Investment and Finance Committee of the American Geophysical Union (AGU). In that role, she will help AGU identify sustainable investment opportunities for their $100MM investment reserves.

Looking back, Tracy credits WIT in general, and The Leadership Foundry Board program in particular, for the role they played in her recent appointments. In her words: “I think that WIT and The Leadership Foundry program played a significant role in landing these opportunities because it is a network of people who are looking for women to serve on boards. I believe the training was essential and extremely helpful because it provided me with a sound foundation on what to expect as a member of a board, and how to engage with other members effectively moving forward. The NACD training helps you understand your fiduciary responsibilities and liabilities associated with this type of governance role on a corporate board.”

Asked for what kind of advice would she offer to WIT members, Tracy said: “You have to be out there networking and let people know that you are looking for that kind of work. You have to adjust your résumé for every opportunity because they can be industry specific. Also, you have to keep up to date in your area of expertise and with the most recent knowledge if you want to serve on a corporate board.”

As for a final word to those who find it difficult to manage time between networking and a full-time job, Tracy says: “We should always be networking because you never know when an opportunity may come. The best way is to approach networking as a way to let people know who you are, and what your interests are, and also to share solutions to others without expecting anything in return.”