Sheryl Sandberg is first woman on Facebook Board

Prior to Facebook, she was vice president of Global Online Sales and Operations at Google

Facebook has named its Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg as a member of its Board of Directors, making her the first woman director in the eight-year-old social network company.

Facebook announced Harvard alumna Sandberg's promotion to the eight-member board yesterday.

42-year-old Sandberg joined the social network in 2008 and oversees Facebook's business operations including sales, marketing, business development, legal, human resources, public policy and communications.

"Sheryl has been my partner in running Facebook and has been central to our growth and success over the years," Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a statement.

"Her understanding of our mission and long-term opportunity, and her experience both at Facebook and on public company boards makes her a natural fit for our board."

Sandberg, whose profile in Facebook is considered second only to that of Zuckerberg, played a significant role in launching Facebook's IPO and working with business partners.

One of Facebook's most public figures, she is largely regarded as the perfect COO who complements Zuckerberg to work on important projects and chart the long-term future of the company he founded in a Harvard dorm room in 2004.

Commenting on her elevation to the so far man-only Board of Directors in the California-based company, Sandberg said Facebook is working to make the world more "open and connected," a "mission that I'm deeply passionate about, and I feel fortunate to be part of a company that is having such a profound impact in the world."

Prior to Facebook, Sandberg was vice president of Global Online Sales and Operations at Google, where she built and managed the online sales channels for advertising and publishing and operations for consumer products worldwide.

She previously served as Chief of Staff for the United States Treasury Department under President Bill Clinton and began her career as an economist with the World Bank.

Sandberg also serves on the boards of The Walt Disney Company, Women for Women International and the Center for Global Development.

Along with Sandberg, Facebook's current board members are Zuckerberg, venture capitalists Marc Andreessen, James Breyer and Peter Thiel, former Clinton administration official Erskine Bowles, Washington Post Company chairman Donald Graham and Netflix chief executive Reed Hastings.