Diane Hessan

Diane Hessan is an accomplished entrepreneur, innovator, and board member with extensive experience in market research and expertise on American voters. She serves as a Member of the Board of Directors at Sago.13

Professional Background

Diane is the founder and Chairman of C Space (formerly Communispace), a company that pioneered the use of social media for brand insights.1 She led C Space as CEO for 14 years, during which the company experienced significant growth and worked with global corporations across 12 countries.1

Currently, Diane is the CEO of Salient Ventures, an investment and advisory company focused on B2B software startups.2 She has consolidated her investment and advisory work into this new venture to help accelerate the growth of emerging tech companies.1

Board Positions and Recognitions

In addition to her role at Sago, Diane serves on several prominent boards, including:

• Brightcove (Chairman of the Board)
• Eastern Bank
• Panera Brands
• DP Acquisition Corp
• Tufts University
• National Association of Corporate Directors – New England2

Diane has received numerous accolades for her work, including:

• Most Admired CEO award from the Boston Business Journal
• Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year
• Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneur of the Year
• Induction into the Babson Academy of Distinguished Entrepreneurs
• Asper Award for Global Entrepreneurship from Brandeis University1

Expertise and Publications

Diane is recognized as a national expert on American voters. Since 2016, she has been conducting an in-depth longitudinal study of the electorate, examining trends, shifts, and common ground among voters.1 This research culminated in her book "Our Common Ground: Insights from Four Years of Listening to American Voters".12

She is also the author of "Customer-Centered Growth" (1995) and has been elected to NACD's Directorship 100 for general excellence in the boardroom.2

Education

Diane holds a BA in Economics and English from Tufts University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.12