We employ S&P 1500 firms from 2000 to 2013 to investigate how female directors affect firm value. We explore two possible channels, the monitoring effect and the risk management effect, through which female directors can have material effect on firms. While the prior research shows a negative relation between female directors and firm value, we find that such a relation diminishes in the post-SOX period (2004 to 2007). More importantly, female directors enhance firm value in the crisis period (2008 to 2013). Our findings suggest that the way female directors affect firm value changes depending on the external environment. Female directors benefit firms mainly by monitoring in the post-SOX period but by risk management in the crisis period.

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