The Material Change Institute is excited to announce Yolanda Daniel as the newest member of our Board. This addition comes as we wrap up our Class III cohort and welcome our Class IV cohort, marking another significant step in our mission to build a diverse investment ecosystem with equal access.
“Yolanda is a perfect addition to our board with her exceptional finance background, board experience, and dedication to diversity and equity,” says Eve Blossom, Founder and CEO of the Material Change Institute. “Her unparalleled expertise and unique perspective will greatly complement our existing Board and significantly contribute to the continued growth of our program.”
Yolanda brings a wealth of experience in finance, health, and community development. She previously served as Vice President of Finance and Chief Procurement Officer at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, as well as CFO and credit committee member at IFF, a lender and real estate developer focused on aligning capital with justice in low-income communities. Her industry career includes leadership roles at W.W. Grainger, Inc., where she was CFO of Grainger Canada, Inc. (division), Global Chief Audit Executive, and Vice President of U.S. Financial Services and Transformation. During her time at CVS Health (Caremark) as Vice President, Internal Audit Services, she was actively engaged in the company’s transformation from a Fortune 500 to a Fortune 20 company.
Yolanda is an independent board director for Leslie’s Pool Supply, (Nasdaq: LESL), serving on the audit, governance, and nominating committees. She has a long tenure of community service and currently serves on the Advisory Boards of the YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago ETF and the Maconite Scholarship Foundation.
“The Material Change Institute is at the forefront of an important issue: systemic change for diversity and equity in investment,” says Yolanda. “Their focus is crucial to broadening who gets a seat at the table for investment decisions, which in turn improves capital flow outcomes. I am honored to contribute to this mission at a pivotal point in history, joining a Board with impactful, strategic, and thoughtful voices.”
Prior to joining the Board, Yolanda helped shape the Material Change Institute’s mission as an advisor. She is a Fellow of the 2017 Finance Leaders Fellowship class and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Based in Chicago, Yolanda earned an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and is an honors marketing alumna from Jackson State University. She is a 2015 Chicago United Business Leader of Color honoree.