---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001628280-24-011236"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "SLM"
cik: "0001032033"
company_name: "SLM Corp"
filed_at: "2024-03-14T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-04T18:39:52.051303+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.3
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.3
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# SLM Corp director Shannon Watkins resigns to avoid conflict; board reduces size, defers retirement

## Summary
- Director Shannon Watkins resigned March 11, 2024, due to accepting senior executive role at a critical vendor, avoiding conflicts.
- Board reduced size from 15 to 14 directors effective immediately upon Watkins' resignation.
- Director Robert Strong deferred his planned retirement; Board waived retirement age provision allowing re-election at 2024 annual meeting.
- Board reaffirmed reduction to 12 directors at 2024 annual meeting after Child and Keler terms end.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001628280-24-011236
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: SLM
- cik: 0001032033
- company_name: SLM Corp
- filed_at: 2024-03-14T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.3
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.3
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1032033/000162828024011236/0001628280-24-011236-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1032033/000162828024011236/slm-20240311.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001628280-24-011236
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001628280-24-011236.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001628280-24-011236.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  Shannon Watkins resigned as Director at SLM Corp.
  - Action: resigned
  - Role: Director
  source text: On March 11, 2024, Shannon Watkins, a member of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of SLM Corporation (the “Company”), notified the Company of her decision to resign as a director of the Company effective immediately.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1032033/000162828024011236/0001628280-24-011236-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.