Daria Torres is a corporate director and strategy executive who helps boards and executive teams navigate growth, transformation, and risk during periods of rapid change. With 30 years of experience advising and governing organizations operating in highly regulated, complex environments, she brings a systems-level perspective and a distinctive blend of boardroom leadership, technical depth, and strategic foresight.

In 2021, Torres joined the board of Columbia Bank and its parent company, Columbia Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLBK), when it was a $9B institution. As an independent director, Torres helped oversee the institution through a period of dramatic growth, as assets doubled to $18B amid the ongoing integration of multiple bank acquisitions, a landmark merger of equals, and a $1.7B second-step public offering. She served on the Audit, Compensation, Nominating and Governance, Risk, and Technology Committees, helping strengthen enterprise risk oversight, governance and compliance, and community impact, while advancing platform modernization throughout the transformation.

In addition to her public company board work, Torres has experience in private company governance. She previously served as an Independent Director of Human Resolution Technologies, where she helped guide the company through the COVID-19 disruption and a successful pivot into innovative digital health solutions. She currently serves on the advisory boards of DigiStream Investigations, a national provider of intelligence and risk mitigation services for insurance providers, and Rezbin, a Philippines-based waste management technology company. Beyond these roles, Daria has advised numerous private companies across a wide range of industries and operating contexts, including global supply chains, technology-enabled logistics, and emerging markets.
Torres is the Founder and Managing Partner of Walls Torres Group (WTG), where she and her team advise senior executives and boards on corporate strategy, governance practices, leadership effectiveness, executive succession, and emerging technology risks, including AI and cyber. The firm’s client portfolio includes Fortune 500 companies, leading global enterprises, as well as major foundations, universities, and public-sector institutions. Earlier in her career, she was an Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company and a Systems Engineer at Lockheed Martin, supporting national security programs while holding a Top Secret SCI clearance.

Since 2004, Torres has held faculty appointments and has been recognized with teaching excellence awards at The Wharton School, Rutgers University, Drexel University, Carnegie Mellon University, and the University of Virginia. She is also actively engaged in nonprofit governance, serving as President-Elect of the University of Virginia Engineering School Foundation; Board Chair of Giving Cycle, which has engaged over 1500 students in experiential philanthropy; and Finance Committee Vice Chair of the NACD Philadelphia Chapter.

NACD Directorship Certified™ (NACD.DC) and Digital Director Network Certified™ (DDN.502), Torres is a leading voice on technology oversight and AI governance, active in advancing boardroom excellence as a frequent speaker and contributor to director-focused forums and publications. She holds a B.S. in both Systems Engineering and Economics from the University of Virginia, an M.S. in Systems Engineering concentrating in Telecommunications from the University of Pennsylvania, and an MBA with Director’s List distinction from The Wharton School.