From First Job to Board Seat: Marlo Lyons & Naomi Kent on Building a Board Career Early

What if board service wasn’t something you waited 30 years for?In this episode of Scholar Scoop, Steve Loflin sits down with executive career coach Marlo Lyons and board career strategist Naomi Kent to discuss their new book, Wanted a Board Career, a practical, step-by-step guide to building a path to board service starting far earlier than most people think.This conversation is especially relevant for high-achieving students and emerging professionals who want to start standing out, expanding their networks, and building meaningful leadership experience right now.You’ll learn:Why board service isn’t just for retired CEOsHow nonprofit, junior, and advisory boards can accelerate your growthThe difference between nonprofit, advisory, and corporate boardsWhat “governance” really means (and why it’s not day-to-day management)How board seats are actually filled (hint: not through job boards)Why networking, branding, and LinkedIn optimization matterHow early board exposure like NSCS’s National Leadership Council model can become a long-term career advantageMarlo connects this new book to her broader career roadmap: from landing your first job to pivoting careers to positioning yourself for board leadership. Naomi brings over two decades of board expertise and demystifies compensation, expectations, and the real responsibilities board members carry.For students, this episode reframes internships, campus leadership roles, and early jobs as building blocks toward future board service. For professionals, it offers a concrete playbook for aligning values, skills, and long-term strategy.Want to learn more? Find Wanted → A Board Career on Amazon