the BOARDROOM Experience: Live Board Meeting Simulation for Aspiring Board Members

Jul 28, 2026 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Facilitated by:

Diana Markaki-Bartholdi
Founder
the Boardroom
View Biography

ACI is delighted to partner with the Boardroom, the first private club for senior women executives preparing for board service, to deliver a high-impact, immersive boardroom simulation at this year’s WILS Boston event.

This is a curated, practical experience designed to replicate the pace, pressure and complexity of real board decision-making.

Step into the role of a board member and work through live scenarios spanning governance, strategic oversight and enterprise risk – including how boards interrogate management, navigate fiduciary responsibility, balance stakeholder interests, and make decisions under uncertainty.

This is a focused, practical “inside the boardroom” experience, designed to demystify governance and accelerate readiness for board-level roles, followed by networking drinks and informal discussion with peers and faculty to deepen connections and insights.

We are pleased that Diana Markaki-Bartholdi (Founder, the Boardroom) will facilitate, a bespoke case study aligned to life sciences boards at the Boardroom Experience.

American Conference Institute TheBoardroomlogo

Benefits of Attending

Board-level perspective

First-hand experience of how boards operate under pressure

Stronger decision-making

Increased confidence navigating complex, high-stakes scenarios

Governance understanding

Practical insight into board dynamics, expectations, and behaviours

High-value connections

Meaningful relationships built through a shared, immersive experience

Schedule

12—1 pm
Lunch for the Boardroom Experience
1—4 pm
Boardroom Simulation with Diana Markaki-Bartholdi
4—5 pm
Networking Hour

Special interview with Diana Markaki-Bartholdi on Preparing for Board Service

For years, women attending ACI conferences have consistently asked for more guidance on board service — how to secure a board seat, become board-ready, and contribute with confidence once they arrive at the table. To explore these questions, we sat down with Diana Markaki-Bartholdi to discuss July’s Boardroom Experience.