Pamela G. Carlton, President

Pamela is the President and co-founder of Springboard. As Springboard’s first assignment, Pamela co-developed, executed and is serving as the inaugural Co-Executive Director of, the Center for Leadership & Civic Engagement, the leadership center at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. Pamela retired as a Managing Director in U.S. Equity Research at J.P. Morgan Chase in May 2003, having also served as Director of U.S. Equity Research for Chase Asset Management from 1996 to 1999. Her responsibilities in Equity Research included implementing the ‘Analyst Independence Rules,’ and managing the Diversified, Consumer, Retail and Transportation industry groups.

Prior to joining J.P. Morgan, Pamela was an investment banker with Morgan Stanley for 14 years, where she originated and executed corporate finance and capital markets transactions in general industries, healthcare and real estate. She joined the Institutional Equities Division in 1991 as the Co-Director of U.S. and Latin America Equity Research for Morgan Stanley. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Pamela practiced law at the firm of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen and Hamilton from 1980 to 1982, and is currently a member of the Bar Association of New York City.

Pamela played a significant role at J.P. Morgan Chase and Morgan Stanley in developing their respective corporate diversity policies. She served on the J.P. Morgan Chase Corporate Diversity Council, chaired by William Harrison, CEO, as well as the Investment Banking and Institutional Equities Diversity Councils.

Pamela has served Williams College and Yale University in various capacities since graduation, including as a Trustee of Williams College, and as a member of Yale School of Management Advisory Board and Yale Law School Alumni Executive Committee. She has also served on the following boards: The Studio Museum in Harlem, Planned Parenthood of Westchester, World Resources Institute and the Graduate School of the City University of New York. She currently serves on the New York Presbyterian Hospital board.

Pamela earned a B.A. from Williams College in 1976, graduating Magna cum Laude, and was the President of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. She also earned a J.D. from Yale Law School and an M.B.A. from Yale School of Management in 1980.

Pamela is married to Charles J. Hamilton, Jr., a partner with the law firm of Paul, Hastings, Janofsky and Walker. They have two sons, Charles A. Hamilton, III, an undergraduate at Harvard College and Samuel A. Hamilton, a high school student at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School in New York City.

David Klassen, Managing Director

David Klassen Managing Director and Partner David specializes in the areas of ethical leadership and executive coaching across cultures. Prior to joining Springboard, David spent 19 years on Wall Street, most recently as Managing Director and Head of Equities at Chase Asset Management. He has made numerous appearances on CNN, PBS, Bloomberg and CNBC, and was a special guest on Wall Street Week.

David holds an undergraduate degree in Accounting from Franklin and Marshall College and is a Chartered Financial Analyst. His background also includes a Master of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary (Psychology and Religion), and his leadership training includes certificates from ARC International’s Leadership program and Tavistock Institute’s “Leicester” conference on Authority, Leadership and Organization.

David is an elected Trustee in the Village of Irvington, New York, and serves on the Investment Committees of the UCC Foundation and Union Theological Seminary in New York City.