Tara Walpert Levy, Bloomin’ Brands Inc.'s youngest board member, was circumspect about how much to speak up in meetings when she joined at age 39.
The Google marketing and technology executive had previously run a startup and spent several years at McKinsey & Company, so she’d been in boardrooms before, but never as a public company director.
Help came from more experienced directors who became Walpert Levy’s mentors, or so-called “board buddies.” They wanted to hear even more of her perspective on digital media. They also helped her get up to speed on the company and learn the directors’ team ...