Miki Woodard currently serves as President and CEO of Texas Women’s Foundation. She has 25 years plus experience as a philanthropist and social impact entrepreneur who has dedicated her career to championing equity, cultural diversity and social justice.
Most recently, she served as Head of Social Impact, Diversity and Inclusion for Bad Robot Productions, Inc., and Senior Advisor of the Katie McGrath and J.J. Abrams Family Foundation in Los Angeles, CA.
She is currently the leader of one of the largest women’s funds in the world, spearheading efforts to raise funds for research, advocacy and grantmaking on behalf of Texas women and girls. Since its founding 37 years ago, TXWF has awarded more than $57 million in grants and programs. In addition, the Foundation’s assets of over $40 million are invested in its innovative 100% mission-aligned gendered portfolio.
Miki has previously held executive positions at Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Be the Change, Inc., The Artemis Agency and was Vice President, Philanthropy at JCPenney, managing a $30 million global corporate giving portfolio. She was also the President and CEO of the non-profit charitable foundations for Dr. Phil and his wife, Robin McGraw, where she led national programs and advocacy efforts benefitting children and families.
She is an active board member for the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, Community Coalition, Dallas Regional Chamber and The Challenger Foundation. She is a founding board member of The Papa John’s Foundation and sits on the Trust for Public Land (TPL) Black History and Culture Advisory Board. In addition, she is a member of the Forbes Nonprofit Council, International Women’s Forum and Chief, where she is part of a community of c-suite leaders. Miki is a proud fourth-generation graduate of Hampton University.
Sheetal is an angel investor and advisor to several companies; She has over 17 years experience in technology, venture capital, and social entrepreneurship and has worked with thousands of entrepreneurs globally. She is the founder of Shanti Life (microfinance) where she helps poor entrepreneurs in Indian slums and villages to build sustainable businesses by providing mentoring, training, microfinance and promotion of health and well-being. She is a spokesperson on entrepreneurship and microfinance, having presented at Cambridge, LSE, Doha Forum, Big Society, House of Lords, Stanford, TEDx and other prestigious forums. She is UK Deal Maker (by appointment) for the UK Trade and Investment’s Global Entrepreneur Programme, Board Member / Investor at MetaCert a mobile security company and Virtual Visions an interactive mirror company (both based in the Silicon Valley) and acts as the advisor to London School of Economics Careers team focusing on entrepreneurship.
From 2000- 2005 Sheetal was Director of VC Relations at Microsoft where she worked with the Venture Capital community in EMEA and the Silicon Valley in order to fast track entrepreneurs with relevant product groups.
Sheetal has received several awards: Asian Women of Achievement: Social and Humanitarian (Prince Charles and Cherie Blair) for her efforts on taking technology to developing communities in India and Africa (2005); Management Today Magazine 35 Under 35; Success Magazine No 5 of top most powerful Asian women in the UK (2006), Award for Entrepreneur of the Year by Asian Woman Magazine and No 3 Ones To Watch’ section of the Asian Power 100 list – the most influential and highest achieving Asian women in Britain (2007). Asian Woman Magazine covered a story of Sheetal’s business in the Sept 2007 issue. Sheetal has been invited to Buckingham Palace for “Women in Business” reception hosted by Her Majesty, The Queen in November 2007, Alumni Award of Excellence from the University of Alberta and was nominated for the Microsoft Alumni Integral Awards 2012 and 2013. Sheetal has a Masters in International Relations (Economics) at the London School of Economics and a BA (Honors) in International Politics at the University of Alberta, Canada. She is a yoga teacher and plays drums and dohl. Sheetal is a citizen of Britain and Canada.
