BARK, a global omnichannel dog brand, has announced that Paulette Dodson and Michele Meyer are joining the company’s board of directors.
Dodson and Meyer each bring significant industry experience, rounding out the board’s experience across operations, legal, corporate governance, marketing, and finance functions, said the company. Dodson is the former general counsel and corporate secretary at Alight, Inc., PetSmart Inc., and Sara Lee Corp., while Meyer is the former president of the Snacks and Meals Operating Units at General Mills, Inc.
“We are pleased to welcome Paulette and Michele, two highly esteemed and proven executives with significant industry and public company experience, to our board,” said Matt Meeker, cofounder and CEO of BARK. “Paulette is a trusted advisor who throughout her career has played an integral role in driving strategic change on a global scale, including at PetSmart.
"Similarly, Michele’s combination of creative, strategic, and operational experience will bring important insights to BARK as we continue to deliver on our long-term growth strategy," Meeker continued. "Their collective experience driving significant value at leading consumer, retail, and food brands will be additive to BARK’s Board and help us better serve our customers and shareholders.”
Dodson is a highly experienced legal, strategic and operational executive who most recently served as general counsel and corporate secretary at Alight, Inc. Prior to that, Dodson served as senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary of PetSmart, Inc., where she guided the board and company through major corporate transactions and change.
Dodson also led PetSmart Charities, North America’s largest animal welfare organization at the time, through a full strategic review and organizational transformation. Previously, she was general counsel, corporate secretary, and chief counsel for North America at CPG company Sara Lee Corp., and assistant general counsel of publishing at the Tribune Company. Dodson currently serves as a member of the boards of directors of Mather, Portillo’s Inc., and the United Way of Metro Chicago. She holds a BA from City College of New York and JD from Cornell Law School.
“I have long admired the brand BARK is building and the differentiated products and services offered across its impressive array of business lines,” said Dodson. “I look forward to working collaboratively with my fellow directors to help create value for all stakeholders.”
Meyer is a CPG industry veteran who worked for over 30 years at General Mills, Inc. Most recently, Meyer served as president of the Snacks Operating Unit, where she led the unit to market share growth through new product launches and strategic advertising, marketing, digital and eCommerce initiatives. During her tenure at General Mills, Meyer held multiple P&L leadership roles, including as president of Small Planet Foods as well as the Meals Operating units, and led multiple M&A initiatives, including the acquisitions of Larabar, Food Should Taste Good and Annie’s Brands.
Meyer currently serves as a member of the boards of directors of Quinn Foods and Kevin’s Natural Foods and is a former board member of GNC. She holds a BA in Economics from Vanderbilt University and MBA from the University of Texas, Austin.
“I have great respect for BARK’s unique mission to improve the lives of dogs through personalized data-driven insights and an unparalleled focus on customer engagement,” said Meyer. “I look forward to working closely with the company’s leadership team and board to continue to execute on this mission."
