Julie Atkinson
BRIGHT HORIZONS FAMILY SOLUTIONSAbout Julie Atkinson
Julie Atkinson (age 51) is an independent director of Bright Horizons Family Solutions (BFAM) since 2017, serving on the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. She has deep experience in marketing, digital growth strategy, operations, and e-commerce, including senior roles at Chopt Creative Salad Company, Tory Burch, Starwood Hotels, and Travelocity, which the Board cites as core credentials relevant to BFAM’s multi-site services and human capital focus . She is an independent director under NYSE rules, and the Board reported 100% attendance for all directors on their Board and committee obligations in 2024 .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chopt Creative Salad Company | Chief Marketing Officer | Oct 2019 – Jan 2023 | Led brand and digital marketing; operations alignment for consumer engagement |
| Tory Burch LLC | SVP, Global Digital | Feb 2017 – Feb 2018 | Drove global digital strategy and e-commerce |
| Starwood Hotels & Resorts | SVP, Global Digital | Nov 2014 – Jan 2017 | Digital transformation and online channels |
| Starwood Hotels & Resorts | VP, Global Online Distribution | Sep 2012 – Nov 2014 | Distribution strategy and digital operations |
| Travelocity | Various roles | Prior to Starwood (dates not specified) | Marketing and operations roles in online travel |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ventoux CCM (Nasdaq: VTAQU) | Director | Dec 2020 – Sep 2022 | Prior public company board; currently no other public directorships beyond BFAM (BFAM notes “Current public company directorships (including Bright Horizons): 1”) |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (member). The committee oversees board refreshment, ESG strategy, human capital oversight, director education, and annual self-assessments; it is chaired by Laurel J. Richie .
- Attendance and engagement: Board met 4 times in 2024 with 2 actions by written consent; committees met as follows—Audit (9; 1 written consent), Compensation (2; 4 written consents), Nominating & Corporate Governance (6). All directors attended 100% of meetings of the Board and their committees; 90% attended the 2024 annual meeting .
- Independence: All directors other than the CEO are independent under NYSE rules; no family relationships among directors and executive officers .
- Board leadership: Independent Chair (David H. Lissy); executive sessions of independent directors are presided over by independent director Jordan Hitch. Board is in the process of declassification through 2027; all directors will stand annually thereafter .
- Limits on service: Directors capped at four public boards; CEO at two. Audit committee service limits enforced; exceptions require Board determination (e.g., Alleva) .
- Shareholder engagement and say-on-pay: Off-season outreach covered >50% of shares and meetings with >20% of shares; topics included governance, risk oversight, HCM, ESG, and compensation. 2024 say-on-pay support ~94% of votes cast .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | 2024 Program | 2025 Program (effective Jan 1, 2025) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Board Annual Cash Retainer (Member) | $50,000 | $75,000 | Pro-rated if partial-year service |
| Board Chair Fee | $225,000 | $175,000 | Chair does not receive member retainer |
| Audit Committee Chair | $25,000 | $25,000 | Chair does not also receive member fee |
| Audit Committee Member | $10,000 | $12,500 | |
| Compensation Committee Chair | $15,000 | $15,000 | |
| Compensation Committee Member | $7,500 | $10,000 | |
| Nominating & Governance Committee Chair | $10,000 | $15,000 | |
| Nominating & Governance Committee Member | $5,000 | $10,000 | |
| Special Committee (Chair/Member) | $5,000 | $5,000 | |
| Reimbursements | Reasonable out-of-pocket expenses | Unchanged | Expense reimbursement policy |
| Director | Fees Earned (Cash) 2024 | Stock Awards 2024 | Total 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Julie Atkinson | $55,000 | $100,000 | $155,000 |
- Stock ownership guidelines: Non-employee directors must hold shares equal to 5x the annual Board cash retainer within 5 years; as of Dec 31, 2024, all met/exceeded except Jennifer Schulz (appointed Sept 2024). Julie Atkinson met/exceeded .
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award Type | Grant Value | Vesting | Settlement/Terms | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Director RSUs (2024) | $100,000 | Fully vested at grant | Settled on earliest of: end of board service; 5th anniversary; change-of-control | Number of RSUs based on grant-date closing price; director-level |
| Director RSUs (2025 Annual) | $125,000 | Fully vested at grant | Same settlement schedule | Market-aligned increase per Meridian review |
| Performance Metrics for Director Equity | Metric Definition | Application to Directors |
|---|---|---|
| None disclosed | Director equity is not tied to performance metrics (RSUs are time-based/fully vested at grant) | Not applicable; directors do not receive options or PSUs |
- Consultant independence: Meridian Compensation Partners engaged to review director pay; Compensation Committee determined independence and no conflicting economic interests .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Relationship | Overlap/Interlock Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Ventoux CCM (SPAC) | Former director (Dec 2020–Sep 2022) | No current public-company interlocks disclosed; BFAM reported no related person transactions in 2024 |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Core skills: Marketing, digital growth strategy, operations, and e-commerce; experience in multi-site consumer services and digital transformation .
- Board skills matrix: Board collectively emphasizes human capital oversight, innovation/transformational leadership, and multi-site operations; Ms. Atkinson contributes to “Marketing/PR/Communications/Digital” and governance committee experience .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Total Beneficial Ownership (Shares) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Julie Atkinson | 8,306 | Includes 4,760 shares that can be acquired upon settlement of vested Director RSUs ; ownership <1% (as indicated by “*”) |
- Anti-hedging/pledging: Company policy prohibits hedging and pledging by directors; no margin accounts or pledges allowed .
- Ownership guidelines compliance: Non-employee directors, including Ms. Atkinson, met/exceeded 5x retainer threshold as of Dec 31, 2024 (except Ms. Schulz, newly appointed) .
Governance Assessment
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Strengths
- Independence and attendance: Independent director with 100% meeting attendance, signaling strong engagement and board effectiveness .
- Relevant committee role: Active on Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee overseeing ESG/human capital and board refreshment—key governance levers for BFAM’s labor-intensive model .
- Ownership alignment: Meets/exceeds director ownership guidelines; RSUs create ongoing exposure via deferred settlement; anti-hedging/pledging policy enhances alignment .
- No conflicts/related-party exposure: Company reported no related person transactions in 2024; audit committee controls related-party approvals .
- Market-aligned director pay review: 2025 program adjustments vetted by independent consultant Meridian; increases are modest and aligned with market practice .
-
Watch items
- Equity is fully vested at grant for directors (settled later), which reduces explicit performance ties; however, settlement deferral and stock ownership guidelines partially mitigate short-termism risk .
- Board declassification in transition through 2027; annual elections thereafter will heighten accountability but can modestly increase proxy contest exposure .
-
No red flags identified
- No overboarding (current public company count including BFAM = 1) .
- No pledging or hedging allowed; no tax gross-ups or option repricing; clawback policy in place for executives (signals strong governance posture) .
Overall, Julie Atkinson presents a constructive governance profile: independent, fully engaged, with directly relevant digital/marketing expertise and aligned ownership, and no disclosed conflicts or attendance/performance concerns .