Student Leadership Network adds Rashida La Lande to board

Student Leadership Network has appointed Estée Lauder General Counsel Rashida La Lande to its board of directors. The New York nonprofit says her legal and governance experience will support its work expanding higher education access for students from underserved communities.

Why it matters: - Rashida La Lande brings senior legal, governance and corporate strategy experience to a nonprofit focused on college access. - Student Leadership Network works with students in underserved communities, so board leadership can shape how the organization grows its reach and programs.

What happened: - Student Leadership Network appointed Rashida La Lande to its Board of Directors. - La Lande is Executive Vice President and General Counsel at The Estée Lauder Companies, where she leads the company’s global legal organization. - La Lande also advises Estée Lauder’s leadership and board on legal strategy, governance and business transactions. - Student Leadership Network made the announcement Nov. 11, 2026.

The details: - Before Estée Lauder, La Lande held senior legal leadership roles at The Kraft Heinz Company, including Executive Vice President and Global Chief Legal and Corporate Affairs Officer. - Earlier in her career, La Lande was a partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. - La Lande began her legal career at Chadbourne & Parke LLP. - La Lande earned a bachelor’s degree in African American Studies from Harvard University. - La Lande earned a Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School. - La Lande said education is one of the most powerful tools to change a young person’s life and said she has seen Student Leadership Network’s impact firsthand. - Yolonda Marshall, CEO of Student Leadership Network, said La Lande’s legal expertise, strategic insight and commitment to the mission make her an important addition to the board. - Student Leadership Network said more information is available on the organization’s website.

Between the lines: - The appointment adds a board member with deep experience in legal operations and corporate governance, skills that often matter for nonprofit oversight and long-term planning. - The nonprofit is signaling that its board composition is part of its broader push to expand access to higher education for students from underserved communities.

What's next: - La Lande will join the board as Student Leadership Network continues operating its college-access programs nationwide. - The organization said its Young Women’s Leadership model is being implemented at 25 schools nationwide. - The CollegeBound Initiative is being implemented at 42 schools nationwide. - Student Leadership Network says both models are designed to build college-going cultures and improve higher education outcomes.

The bottom line: - Student Leadership Network is adding a high-level corporate legal executive to help guide a nonprofit with a long-running focus on educational equity.