
Chair
Dr. Yasmin Davidds is an entrepreneur, organizational psychologist and CEO of the Multicultural Women Executive Leadership Foundation, the Women’s Institute of Negotiation and the Dr. Yasmin Davidds Leadership Institute, organizations dedicated to the teaching, instruction and development of leadership competencies primarily focused on women in professional, corporate and entrepreneur settings. Dr. Davidds’ commitment to the empowerment and development of thousands of women leaders has brought her recognition and acclaim from the U.S. Congress, the California State Senate, and the California State Assembly. She has been recognized and highlighted as one of the top Leading Latinas by Hispanic Magazine and as one of the most influential Latinas in “The Book of Latina Women.” Additionally, Dr. Davidds serves on the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council, where she contributes her expertise to one of the world’s foremost authorities on business leadership.
In 2011, Yasmin founded the Women’s Institute of Negotiation, an organization dedicated to the teaching, instruction, and development of women’s negotiating skills and business expertise. In 2013, Yasmin developed and launched the first Latin Global Executive Leadership Program in partnership with the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business, of which she is an alumna. Now a Professor of Leadership in partnership with the USC Marshall School of Business, Yasmin regularly teaches leadership and negotiation courses at University of California San Diego’s Rady’s School of Management Executive Education, in addition to having previously taught at Microsoft’s Leadership Academy.
Dr. Davidds’ latest book, Graciously Assertive: How Becoming A Better Human Makes You A Better Leader, was released in 2024, complementing her previous works, including the bestseller YOUR OWN TERMS: A Women’s Guide to Taking Charge of Any Negotiation, which serves as the core curriculum for UC San Diego’s Women’s Leadership and Negotiation Certificate Program. In 2019, Dr. Davidds Joined the Foundation for California Community Colleges’ Board of Directors, the official foundation to the California Community Colleges’ Board of Governors and Chancellor’s Office. The foundation’s mission is to benefit, support, and enhance the missions of the California Community College system, the largest higher education system in the nation.
A graduate of the University of Southern California (USC) with a degree in business entrepreneurship, Dr. Davidds went on to receive her master’s degree in women studies and her doctorate degree in organizational psychology. Dr. Davidds Executive, Entrepreneur and Millennial programs have impacted and transformed the lives and careers of over 25,000 professional women worldwide. In 2018, she developed and launched the first Multicultural Women Executive Leadership Program in partnership with the USC Marshall School of Business.