Introduction of Guest Contributor – Tracy E. Houston, M.A.

Tracy is a board advisory consultant headquartered in the Denver, Colorado area. With a focus on leadership, strategy and risk management, she consults primarily with directors, presidents and senior officers providing input on high level, sensitive and complex issues. Her partner for board evaluation is The Board Institute www.theboardinstitute.com

Tracy, with six years of experience as a sitting director, was one of the nation's youngest women to sit on a board in the electric utility sector where she provided leadership during a period of industry change driven by deregulation, privatization, technology and globalization forces. She is the past chairman of the board of the International Center for Appropriate and Sustainable Technology. Together, her board roles span the evolutionary to revolutionary decision-making environments. In 2008 she was inducted into one of Colorado's Women Hall of Fame groups.

An internationally published author, Tracy’s work has been seen in many publications from The Denver Business Journal, and The Center for Healthcare Governance's Trustee Magazine, to the U.S. Green Building Council. Her book, Leading By Belonging: A Pathway to Knowing Yourself, delves into today's key leadership traits that create sustainable competitive advantage.

Tracy is currently writing a book on board leadership with a premise that directors provide extraordinary guidance by asking the proper questions. The purpose of the book is to improve directors' and organizational performance by fostering a positive culture of inquiry. A special feature of the book is personal stories from directors that pertain to lessons learned around board issues. To contribute, please contact Tracy directly at www.linkedin.com/in/tracyehouston