David's Bridal, the nation's leading bridal and special occasion authority, has announced its new Board of Directors. The group of six, five of whom are women, bring a wealth of knowledge across multiple categories, including digital, customer insights, finance, innovation, new business and more.

"My fellow board members and I are thrilled to join David's Bridal at a pivotal time for the business," said Christine Pope, Board Chair. "David's Bridal is transitioning to position itself for growth and to execute on a strategy of delighting customers with its service, product and digital-first mindset. As a member of the newly appointed board, I know our new directors' complementary skills and experiences will bring valuable perspectives as the company enters its next chapter."

New Board Members Include:

Board Chair Christine Pope is a Senior Vice President at Oaktree Capital Management, a leading global alternative investment management firm. She focuses on investments in a variety of industries, including retail and holds an MBA from the Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania and a JD from Duke University.

Christine Barton is Senior Partner and Managing Director at Boston Consulting Group. She is an expert in Customer Insights and Millennials, and holds a master's degree from Oxford University where she was a Rhodes Scholar.

Venita Fields is Partner at Pelham S2K Managers LCC. She has more than thirty-five years of financial and investment management background and an MBA from Northwestern University.

Jeff Kuster is Group President of Ralph Lauren. He oversees all commercial and operating activities, including retail, digital commerce, wholesale and factory stores for North America, and holds an MBA from University of Chicago's Booth School of Business.

Katherine Rice is Operating Partner at Altamont Capital Partners, where she focuses on e-commerce, retail, consumer, home furnishings and apparel sectors. She has an MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

Ilana Stern is the Founder and former CEO of Weddington Way, a digital-first fashion brand that focused on creating a personal, multi-channel shopping experience for millennials during special occasions. Stern was identified as an 'Accelerator' by WSJ and one of SF Business Times' '40 under 40'. She has an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

As a company committed to inclusivity and diversity, David's Bridal is pleased to recognize our new board on International Women's Day. Research shows that having women in leadership positions helps with pay equity, diversity of thought, and increased promotions of other women. David's Bridal customers tend to be women. The company's employee base is also ninety-six percent female, making the movement towards gender equity and women's representation all the more important.

About David's Bridal

With more than 60 years of experience dressing women for all of life's special occasions, David's Bridal is built on the ideal that every woman deserves to have the dress of her dreams regardless of her style preference, shape, size or budget. We believe in inclusivity, authenticity and empowerment and it is our mission to help every woman find the bridal gown that will allow her to be the best, most genuine version of herself on her wedding day. David's Bridal is dedicated to helping each customer find her perfect dress with the assistance of online planning tools, knowledgeable stylists, and expert seamstresses who will guide her through her entire dress buying journey. With more than 300 stores located across the US, Canada, UK, and franchise locations in Mexico, we offer the convenience of one-stop shopping for the bride and her entire bridal party. To learn more about David's Bridal, visit http://www.davidsbridal.com and connect on social media through Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter.