Allison Lawrence
StrideAbout Allison Lawrence
Allison Lawrence (age 44) is an independent director of Stride, Inc. (LRN) since 2023. She is Chief Impact and Inclusion Officer at Stanley Black & Decker, with prior progressive leadership roles including President of eCommerce, business president, vice president, and Chief of Staff to the CEO; she holds a BS in Marketing (Oklahoma State University) and an MBA (University of Texas at Dallas) . She brings expertise in brand development, digital media, and eCommerce .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. | Chief Impact & Inclusion Officer; previously President of eCommerce; business president; VP; Chief of Staff to CEO | Since 2003 (progressive roles) | Led global eCommerce expansion and digital capability build; enterprise culture and inclusion strategy |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hartford Hospital | Director | Non-profit/academic medical center | One of the largest teaching hospitals in New England |
Board Governance
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Independence | Board affirmed all non-employee directors, including Lawrence, are independent under NYSE and SEC rules . |
| Committee Assignments | Compensation Committee member (independent); committee met 4 times in FY2025 . |
| Committee Chairs | None (Compensation Committee chaired by Joseph A. Verbrugge) . |
| Board Meetings | Board met 5 times in FY2025; each director attended at least 75% of Board and assigned committee meetings . |
| Executive Sessions | Independent directors hold executive sessions at each regular Board meeting; Lead Independent Director (Steven B. Fink) presides . |
| Related-Party Controls | Robust related party transaction policy; directors may not participate in approvals where related; review thresholds and disclosure controls described . |
| Hedging/Pledging | Policy prohibits hedging, pledging and short sales of company securities . |
| Overboarding | Policy limits other board service; Audit Committee “over-boarding” limits addressed . |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Policy/Rate | FY2025 Amount (Lawrence) |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $70,000 for non-employee directors | $79,592 (cash fees) |
| Compensation Committee membership | $10,000 member fee | Included in cash above |
| Committee chair fees | N/A for Lawrence (Comp Chair: Verbrugge) | N/A |
| Lead Independent Director premium | $50,000 (increased from $25,000 in Feb 2025) | N/A |
| Meeting fees | Not specified beyond retainers; compensation structure per plan | N/A |
Performance Compensation
| Award Type | Grant Date | Grant Date Fair Value | Structure / Vesting | FY2025 Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual equity (Non-employee director grant) | December 5, 2024 | $250,000 | Time-based restricted stock (or DSUs if elected); vests fully on the earlier of 1 year from grant or next annual meeting; accelerates on death, disability, or change in control | Elected DSUs; held 2,262 unvested DSUs as of June 30, 2025 |
Notes:
- Directors may defer equity into Deferred Stock Units; DSUs follow same vesting terms; cash retainers can also be deferred into DSUs .
- Compensation Committee oversees clawback policy compliance; Company maintains a Compensation Recovery Policy per SEC/NYSE rules .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Ticker | Role | Public/Private | Interlocks/Conflicts Disclosed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| None disclosed | — | — | Public | No other public company directorships disclosed for Lawrence . |
| Hartford Hospital | — | Director | Non-profit | No related-party transactions or conflicts disclosed; Company reports no Item 404 relationships for Comp Committee members in FY2025 and no committee interlocks . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Brand development, digital media, eCommerce leadership; enterprise culture and inclusion strategy leadership .
- Independent director; Compensation Committee member with oversight of executive pay, HCM programs, and clawback policy compliance .
- Education: BS (Marketing, Oklahoma State); MBA (UT Dallas) .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership | 9,121 shares; less than 1% of outstanding . |
| Unvested holdings | 2,262 unvested DSUs as of June 30, 2025 . |
| Stock ownership guidelines | Non-employee directors must hold 5x annual cash retainer; compliance required within 5 years of board service; all directors either compliant or within accumulation period (guideline revised July 31, 2025) . |
| Hedging/Pledging | Prohibited by Company policy . |
Governance Assessment
-
Strengths
- Independent status, with active Compensation Committee service (4 meetings in FY2025) supports oversight of executive pay design, HCM, and clawback policy—positive for alignment and risk management .
- Strong attendance record at or above the 75% threshold; Board maintains executive sessions every regular meeting under a Lead Independent Director framework—supports board effectiveness and independent oversight .
- Director compensation is predominantly equity-based ($250k time-based RS/DSUs), with deferral capability into DSUs; vesting tied to annual meeting cadence; aligns director interests with shareholders without performance metric gaming risk .
- Ownership alignment framework strengthened in 2025 (5x retainer guideline), with anti-hedging/pledging policy—reduces misalignment and leverage risks .
-
Risks/Red Flags
- No related-party transactions or compensation committee interlocks disclosed in FY2025; no Item 404 relationships—no evident conflict red flags .
- Director equity awards are time-based, not performance-based; while common for directors, this places alignment emphasis on ownership guidelines and tenure rather than explicit performance hurdles .
-
Overall implication: Lawrence’s independence, Compensation Committee role, and equity-heavy compensation with strengthened ownership guidelines support investor confidence in board oversight and alignment. Absence of related-party concerns and prohibitions on pledging/hedging further mitigate governance risk .