AMERICAN COLLEGE OF GOVERNANCE COUNSEL
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: July 8, 2026
[New York, NY] — The American College of Governance Counsel (ACGC) today announced the appointment of three distinguished governance professionals to its Board of Directors: Jennifer Daniels, David A. Katz, partner at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz; and Anne Robinson, of IBM. The ACGC simultaneously recognized the outstanding contributions of three departing board members whose terms have concluded: Larry Sonsini, Robert Mundheim, and Greg Varallo — all three of whom were members of the ACGC’s founding Board of Directors.
The ACGC expressed deep gratitude to Larry Sonsini, Robert Mundheim, and Greg Varallo for their exemplary service and the indelible mark each has left on the organization and the broader governance community. As members of the ACGC’s founding Board of Directors, all three were instrumental in establishing the College from the ground up—setting its standards, defining its mission, and building the foundation upon which it continues to grow. Larry also served with distinction as Chair of the ACGC for many years, providing visionary leadership that guided the College through its formative years and helped strengthen its reputation as the leading organization for governance counsel. Together, their leadership, wisdom, and dedication have been central to shaping the College’s identity and advancing the highest standards of governance counsel.
“Larry Sonsini, Robert Mundheim, and Greg Varallo were there at the very beginning, helping to found this organization and shape its character from day one. Their knowledge, integrity, and tireless commitment to excellence in governance have elevated the College and the profession as a whole. The ACGC simply would not be what it is today without them. On behalf of the entire ACGC community, I am deeply grateful for their founding vision and their years of dedicated service.”
— Holly Gregory, Chair, American College of Governance Counsel
“It has been a privilege to serve alongside Larry, Bob, and Greg — three of the founders of this College who helped bring it to life and set it on the right course. Each of them brought extraordinary expertise and a genuine passion for governance counsel to everything they did. Their legacy is woven into the fabric of the ACGC, and I cannot thank them enough for their vision, dedication, and friendship over the years.”
— David J. Berger, President, American College of Governance Counsel
The ACGC is proud to welcome Jennifer Daniels, David A. Katz, and Anne Robinson, to its Board of Directors. Each brings a wealth of experience in corporate governance, providing the College with extraordinary depth of talent as it continues to grow and serve its members.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jennifer, David, and Anne, to the ACGC Board. They each bring remarkable expertise, fresh perspectives, and a shared commitment to the highest standards of governance practice. I look forward to working alongside them as we continue to advance the College’s mission and serve our members.”
“Jennifer Daniels, David A. Katz, and Anne Robinson, are exactly the kind of leaders who will help propel the ACGC forward. Their combined experience across law, business, and governance is exceptional, and I am genuinely excited to collaborate with them on the important work ahead.”
Jennifer Daniels
Jennifer Daniels brings significant corporate governance expertise from her prior roles at Colgate-Palmolive, a global consumer products company, NCR Corporation and Barnes & Noble, Inc. Her experience navigating complex governance challenges at a major public companies will be a tremendous asset to the ACGC Board.
"I am truly honored to join the Board of the College. I look forward to bringing together leaders in Corporate Governance to drive a deeper understanding of best practices in governance, risk management and shareholder engagement in a rapidly evolving world."
David A. Katz — Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
David A. Katz is a partner at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, where he is widely recognized as one of the foremost authorities on corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, and securities law. His counsel has shaped governance practice at some of the nation’s largest public companies.
“It is an honor and a privilege to join the Board of Directors of the American College of Governance Counsel, as it continues to recognize excellence in the pursuit of corporate governance. It is an honor to follow in my partner Marty Lipton’s footsteps, as he was one of the Honorary Founding Co-Chairs of the College. In today’s complicated world, good corporate governance practices are a necessity, not an option, and I welcome the opportunity to establish and promote best practices in my role at the College.”
Anne Robinson — IBM
Anne Robinson brings to the Board extensive experience in corporate governance and legal affairs gained through her work at IBM, one of the world’s leading technology and consulting companies. Her in-house perspective adds invaluable insight to the College’s work.
"I’m honored to join the ACGC Board and support its mission to elevate the practice of governance counsel. At IBM, we’ve seen how essential strong oversight is to fostering trusted, responsible innovation. I look forward to working alongside this distinguished group to help shape thoughtful, effective practices for our evolving business environment.”
About the American College of Governance Counsel
The American College of Governance Counsel is a professional organization dedicated to recognizing and advancing excellence in the practice of governance counsel. Its members include leading lawyers who advise boards of directors, management, and other governance participants on matters of corporate governance.
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The American College of Governance Counsel welcomes our members to the 2026 Annual Institute on Corporate Governance in the US and the EU on September 9-10, 2026 in New York, NY.
Visit the event website to learn more!
The Third Annual Rome Conference on AI, Ethics and Governance, co-founded by Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati and Libra Legal Partners, will be taking place June 18-20, 2026!#RomeAI2026will bring together global leaders across technology, business, policy, academia, and civil society to examine the profound and far-reaching impact of #artificialintelligence. Building on prior years, this year’s conference places a heightened emphasis on ethics and the transformative nature of #AI.Register Now At: 3rd Annual Rome Conference on AI
We would like to congratulate ACGC member David Woodcock on his recent appointment as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Director of Enforcement. Click here for the formal announcement.
Begin your Directors' College experience now!
When you register, you will have exclusive access to AI Priorities for Boards of Directors, a complimentary four-part virtual series on AI oversight taught by Douglas Levin (Harvard Business School Executive Fellow), and membership in the Stanford Directors’ Network (SDN), a curated platform for board opportunities, thought leadership, and director programming founded by Stanford Women on Boards.
The first webinar, AI Capabilities and Strategic Foundation, is on February 24, 2026. Boards need a realistic view of what AI can and cannot do, including where it is reliable today, where it remains experimental, and what disruptions are plausible. This session builds a practical foundation for treating data as a strategic asset through governance, rights, lineage, privacy, and infrastructure.
Additional webinars in the series will take place on:
· March 17, 2026 - Session 2: Security and AI-Native Threats
· April 14, 2026 - Session 3: Economics, Governance, Regulation and Liability
· May 19, 2026 - Session 4: Session 4: Strategic Oversight of Today’s and Advanced AI
Register for Stanford Directors' College and join us next week for the first webinar session.
Learn More
We are pleased to share the following event information as a resource for our members. This program is hosted by an independent organization and is not affiliated with or sponsored by the American College of Governance Counsel.
October 8, 2025
The American College of Governance Counsel Contact: Jenna Ayala646-846-3832
THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF GOVERNANCE COUNSEL ANNOUNCES 2025 CLASS OF FELLOWS
NEW YORK, NY – The American College of Governance Counsel, an organization of leading corporate governance lawyers from the U.S. and Canada, has elected its eleventh class to include 18 new Fellows.
“I’m thrilled to welcome this distinguished group of experienced governance counsel as Fellows in the College. Their invitation acknowledges their status as leaders in the field, and we eagerly anticipate the valuable insights they will contribute to our discussions.” said Holly J. Gregory, Chair of the College. The election of the tenth group of Fellows will bring the ranks of the College to just over 180 Fellows and Honorary Fellows. “I am truly honored to be joined in the ACGC by this outstanding and diverse group of experienced practitioners, in-house counsel and scholars. The skills, expertise and knowledge of each of these new members allows the ACGC to further expand and promote its mission. Having such an outstanding group of governance leaders join the ACGC makes our organization stronger, and I look forward to their active engagement in our activities as the preeminent body of corporate governance counsellors in North America,” added David J. Berger, President of the College.
The list of newly elected Fellows is appended.
The College is a professional, educational and honorary association organized to promote a high level of professional standards for those engaged in the governance practice along with a better understanding and broader adoption of best governance practices. Fellows are chosen from the ranks of experienced lawyers in the United States and Canada who have displayed a high level of professionalism and a commitment to the advancement of the governance practice through a combination of practice and thought leadership activities. Through its programs, the College explores the major governance issues facing business enterprises including challenges to traditional models of governance, risk management, shareholder engagement, and an increasingly complex regulatory and enforcement environment. The College’s Honorary Founding Co-Chairs are Martin Lipton, Ira M. Millstein, and E. Norman Veasey.
More about the College can be found at www.amgovcollege.org.
American College of Governance Counsel Eleventh Class of Fellows
October 2025
Michele AndersonLatham & Watkins LLP
John BeckmanHogan Lovells
Jennifer BroderBaker McKenzie
Francesca CampbellCarrier
Doug CogenFenwick & West
James CottonUnited Airlines
Nate EmeritzGreenberg Traurig, LLP
Daniel GallagherRobinhood
Elizabeth Gonzalez-SussmanSkadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
Sophia HudsonKirkland & Ellis LLP
Marty KormanWilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati LLP
Rita-Anne O'NeillSullivan & Cromwell
Poonam PuriOsgoode Hall Law School, York University
Stephen RadinAllerhand & Odoner LLP
Anne RobinsonIBM
Walied SolimanNorton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP
Brian SpitserPrudential Financial
David WoodcockGibson Dunn
2025 Annual Institute on Corporate Governance
In the US and the EU: "Do Cross-Border Differences Matter?"
April 3-4, 2025
New York, NY
Visit our Past Events page for speaker bios and reading materials
Dear ACGC Fellows,
Recently the American Bar Association has issued two important statements reiterating the ABA’s commitment to the fundamental principles of the rule of law, a legal process that is “orderly and fair”, and condemning government efforts to intimidate judges and the legal profession. The ABA’s statements encourage lawyers across the country to take an “active role in defending and strengthening the rule of law” and calling upon all lawyers to “speak out against intimidation.”
We encourage you to read the full ABA statements here: ABA Supports the Rule of Law ABA Rejects Efforts to Undermine Courts and Legal Profession
The ACGC fully supports the ABA’s position on these issues. As senior members of the legal community, we believe that we have a central responsibility to support the rule of law and our colleagues when they are under attack because the government does not like who they may represent. We agree with the ABA’s position that the government cannot “punish lawyers who represent certain clients or punish judges who rule certain ways.”
As leading members of the corporate bar we reject any effort to undermine the courts or the legal profession. We ask that you consider reaching out to your colleagues, regardless of their political views, and invite them to stand with us in safeguarding the rule of law, which we hold dear. Now is the time to act together to ensure that we protect our system of justice. We invite and encourage all of you to stand with us.
David J. Berger, President, American College of Governance Counsel
Holly J. Gregory, Chair, American College of Governance Counsel
Jaffe Management, Inc.330 W. 38th Street, Suite 1105New York, NY 10018(646) 846-3832
info@amgovcollege.org
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