Joyce Roche is the author of The Empress Has No Clothes…Conquering self-doubt to embrace Success

and was President and CEO of Girls Inc., a national nonprofit research, education and advocacy organization in New York until her retirement in 2010. 

Before joining Girls Inc., Ms. Roché served as...

Joyce Roche is the author of The Empress Has No Clothes…Conquering self-doubt to embrace Success

and was President and CEO of Girls Inc., a national nonprofit research, education and advocacy organization in New York until her retirement in 2010. 

Before joining Girls Inc., Ms. Roché served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Carson Products Company, and Vice President of Global Marketing at Avon Products, Inc. While at Avon, Ms. Roché broke new ground, becoming Avon’s first African American female vice president, the first African American vice president of marketing, and the company’s first vice president of global marketing.

Ms. Roché has received widespread acclaim for her achievements in the business world: In 2015 she was featured in Business Week’s “How Did I Get Here” Profile and in 1998, Business Week selected her as one of the “Top Managers to Watch”. In 2014 The Financial Times selected her as an Outstanding Corporate Director and in 2015 she received the Presidential Medal of Honor from her alma mater, Dillard University.

Ms. Roché received the Women of Power Legacy Award from Black Enterprise Magazine in 2006 and in 2007 she received the Distinguished Alumna Award from Columbia University Women in Business.

In 2013 Ms. Roché authored the book, The Empress Has No Clothes…Conquering self-doubt to embrace Success

(Berrett-Koehler, 2013), a deeply personal memoir in which Ms. Roché shares her lifelong struggle with the imposter syndrome and offers advice and coping strategies based on her own experiences and those of other high-achieving leaders who have suffered from it.

Ms. Roché is a graduate of Dillard University in New Orleans and holds an MBA from Columbia University. She has successfully completed Stanford University’s Senior Executive Program and holds honorary doctorate degrees from Dillard University, Bryant University, Old Dominion College and others. 

 She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Macy’s Inc., the Berrett-Koehler Group, Inc., the Chatham County Hospital Authority, The Savannah Economic Development Authority and The Savannah Trade Center. She is also an Executive in Residence at Columbia University Business School. 

Ms. Roche’ previously served on the boards of AT&T Inc., Anheuser-Busch Companies, May Department Stores, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group Inc., Tupperware Brands Corporation and Girls Incorporated.

She is the former Vice Chair of the board of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges and served as Chair of the Board of Trustees for Dillard University, where she is now Trustee Emerita.