Lara Peoples headshot

Lara Peoples

VP, Marketing

Lara Peoples is a strategic marketing leader with 20+ years of experience building brands, driving organizational growth, and fostering community engagement across diverse audiences. In her new role as Vice President of Marketing for 50/50 Women on Boards, Lara brings deep expertise in strategic leadership and oversight for all marketing and brand communications to support the organization's mission of achieving gender-balanced corporate boardrooms globally.

Lara’s career includes senior marketing roles at leading media companies, including Audacy, Meredith Corporation (now People Inc.), Condé Nast, and Time Inc., where she consistently transformed brand strategies into measurable results. At Audacy, she led corporate marketing initiatives during critical periods, including a merger and rebrand, partnering closely with leadership to drive revenue growth and market positioning. Her expertise in experiential marketing, partnerships, and thought leadership has earned recognition from industry leaders. Throughout her career, Lara has excelled at building high-performing teams and creating marketing programs that connect authentically across cultures and communities. She has launched brands in both English and Spanish, produced signature events and activations for major brands, and developed go-to-market strategies across platforms.

A natural connector and storyteller, Lara is passionate about elevating diverse voices and helping communities thrive. She has contributed to educational initiatives supporting children in Africa and has served on nonprofit committees and boards. A global thinker and lifelong traveler, she has lived in Spain and Argentina and brings a broad cultural lens to her work. She graduated from Binghamton University with a BS in Marketing, and from NYU with an MA in Caribbean & Latin American Studies.

Shape

Code of Conduct: Governing Data & Emerging Tech

Boards are no longer observers of emerging technology; they are stewards of how it’s governed. This panel goes beyond awareness to examine how directors can structure oversight, define accountability, and measure governance effectiveness in AI, data use, and digital innovation. Panelists will share practical strategies for building governance systems that ensure transparency, ethical decision-making, and responsible innovation at scale.

Speakers include: Sita Lowman, Nithya Das, Suresh Sharma, Byron Loflin

Your First Board Meeting: A Director’s Playbook

Designed for aspiring and newly appointed directors, this session offers practical guidance on how to step confidently into your first boardroom. Learn what to expect in early meetings, how to contribute with purpose, and how to quickly build credibility and trust among seasoned peers. Gain insight into board dynamics, unspoken protocols, and the critical questions new directors should be ready to ask and answer.

Tactics that Work: Case Studies in Navigating Shareholder Activism

In this tactical, director-focused session, participants will engage in case-based exercises to dissect real campaigns and pressure scenarios. From activist letters to proxy fights, explore how boards can craft strategic responses that reinforce governance integrity, protect corporate reputation, and align with long-term priorities. Walk away with actionable tactics and frameworks to strengthen board preparedness in the face of growing investor scrutiny.

Inside the Boardroom: Resilience Planning in Action

This interactive session places directors inside the boardroom during moments of disruption. Through tabletop exercises and real-world scenarios, participants will explore how boards can apply structured frameworks to assess geopolitical risk, anticipate threats, and make decisive decisions under pressure. Designed as a classroom-style session, this breakout provides practical tools to strengthen oversight and build a proactive board response strategy in an increasingly uncertain world.

Reputation & Response: How Boards Navigate Shareholder Activism

As shareholder activism intensifies, boards face mounting pressure to defend strategy, protect corporate reputation, and engage stakeholders with clarity. This panel brings together seasoned directors to explore how boards can respond effectively while maintaining credibility, board alignment, and stakeholder trust. Hear real-world insights on navigating activism in today’s high-stakes, high-visibility environment.

Speakers include: Gaby Sulzberger, David Cahoy, Rachael Coffey, Eduardo Gallego

Navigating Global Markets: Trade, Tariffs, and Supply Chain Strategy

As global disruptions reshape business models, this panel will explore how boards can navigate the practical complexities of trade, tariffs, and supply chain shifts across regions. Panelists will share how directors are guiding companies through regulatory changes, sourcing challenges, and new market risks, while seizing opportunities for growth and operational agility.

Speakers include: Titi Cole, Mia Mends

Strengthening Oversight: Risk Management and Board Resilience

This keynote will equip directors to think globally about risk through the lens of geopolitical foresight, cross-border tensions, and long-term instability. Learn how boards can strengthen oversight and guide enterprise-wide resilience by anticipating disruption and embedding a proactive risk culture in a changing world.

Speakers include: Rodger Baker