digitalundivided (DID), the social startup that leverages data and advocacy to catalyze economic growth and create pathways for Black and Latinx women entrepreneurs, today announced the appointment of Lauren Maillian as Interim CEO. Maillian takes over from digitalundivided’s Founder, Kathryn Finney, who recently resigned as CEO, after courageously leading the organization since its founding in 2012. digitalundivided’s Board unanimously tapped Maillian, a long-time board member and supporter, to lead the organization. This appointment signals digitalundivided’s start of a national search for the next Chief Executive Officer.
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Lauren Maillian, Interim CEO, digitalundivided (Photo: Business Wire)
“As a Board, we are confident that Lauren is the right leader for digitalundivided’s future,” said Alex Miller, digitalundivided Board Director and COO at env0. “We will continue to benefit from her collaborative vision and thoughtful leadership as we initiate a national search for CEO succession.”
In this role, Maillian will work alongside DID’s incredible leadership team and Board of Directors to continue leading the global shift toward inclusive innovation and entrepreneurship. Her passionate commitment to the mission, distinguished expertise, and deep institutional knowledge will guide and advance the organization during this pivotal time.
“The impact of the global pandemic coupled with our nation’s current racial inequities and disparities, has been acutely felt by Black and Latinx women entrepreneurs,” said Lauren Maillian, Interim CEO of DID. “We are even more energized in our mission to stand with these innovators and provide the community, support, relevant insights and programming needed to help them navigate this unprecedented time.”
digitalundivided’s powerful programs offer community and resources to Black and Latinx women at all stages of the entrepreneurial journey. Programs range from the START program, a three week virtual training program for those at the concept stage of entrepreneurship, to micro investment initiatives supporting founders during the pandemic. The research team draws on our unparalleled community to provide innovative data including this month’s timely release of The State of Black Women During COVID study as well as the much-anticipated #ProjectDiane research initiative on the state of the field. We listen to our growing community of program alums and women entrepreneurs and draw on their experiences to effectively support our diverse innovators.
Maillian brings her energy, creativity and problem-solving skills to her role as Interim CEO of digitalundivided. A forward-thinking change agent committed to diversity, innovation and inclusion, she has nearly two decades of experience as an entrepreneur, award-winning marketer and global brand strategist, and technology startup investor and advisor. She is Founder and CEO of the LMB Group, a strategic brand marketing and advisory agency that works with Fortune 500 brands and high-growth startups. A pioneer in the tech space, Maillian was the first black woman to start an early-stage venture capital fund, as a founding partner and Managing Director of Gen Y Capital Partners. She began her entrepreneurial journey at age nineteen, as co-founder of an award-winning, internationally recognized winery, Sugarleaf Vineyards. The youngest winery owner in the U.S., she served as Chief Operating Officer through the brand’s acquisition in 2011.
Maillian has long been committed to supporting women by sharing her own experience. She is the founder of Straight Up and Successful, a community and personal and professional development company that exemplifies her commitment to empowering and advocating for women. She has distilled what she’s learned about entrepreneurship in her best-selling memoir, The Path Redefined: Getting To the Top On Your Own Terms, and she’s shared her passion for innovation as the Master Marketer and co-star of the startup-focused docu-series Quit Your Day Job on Oxygen (NBCU).
Maillian has advised and invested in over 40 startups. She serves as an advisor to Pipeline Angels, a social enterprise that trains executive women to become angel investors. She serves on the Board of Directors at CoSign, a technology company which allows users to monetize social media and shareable content, and at the spirits brand LIQS. She proudly serves on the Board of The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Advisory Committee on Cultural Engagement. Maillian was also the Vice Chair of The Apollo Theater Foundation’s Young Patrons Steering Committee, a member of New York Urban League’s Development Committee and is a founding member of the Young Entrepreneur Council.
She has a Bachelor of Science, Magna Cum Laude, in International Trade and Marketing from the Fashion Institute of Technology.
About digitalundivided
Founded in 2012, digitalundivided (DID) is a social startup that merges data and heart to catalyze economic growth and create pathways for Black and Latinx women entrepreneurs. Through research, thought leadership and programming, digitalundivided’s vision is to create a world where ALL women own their work. For more information, visit digitalundivided.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
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