Valeisha Butterfield Jones, a leader, a global influencer, and culture shifter has been named the Recording Academy’s first Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer.
The Los Angeles-based Recording Academy consists of musicians, producers, recording engineers, and other musical professionals, and it’s most famous for the Grammy Awards, which recognize achievements in the music industry.
This month Butterfield Jones joined the executive leadership team responsible for advancing the Recording Academy’s mission and ensuring that diversity and inclusion are aligned with business values and standards and demonstrated throughout the organization.
“We are thrilled to welcome Valeisha Butterfield Jones into the Recording Academy family,” said Academy Chair and Interim President and CEO Harvey Mason in a statement. “Valeisha has been a force in driving systemic change and enhancing equal opportunities for underrepresented groups across entertainment, technology, and politics. I’m excited to work with her to continue evolving the Recording Academy as an organization that represents our music community and as a place where all voices are welcomed, supported, and nurtured. We are so fortunate to have Valeisha’s leadership in this crucial area.” Butterfield Jones will “design, build, and implement world-class programs and industry standards focused on inclusion, belonging, and representation for underrepresented communities and creators,” according to the news release.
Valeisha is the co-founder of the Women in Entertainment Empowerment Network (WEEN). She is also an award-winning executive and author who formerly served as the National Youth Vote Director for President Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign, delivering one of the highest youth voter turnouts in American history.
Valeisha served in the Obama Administration as the Deputy Director of Public Affairs for the International Trade Administration, as the Executive Vice President of Rush Communications, and as the National Director of Diversity and Inclusion for the Alzheimer’s Association. Valeisha worked as the Global Head of Inclusion at Google before accepting her position with the academy. Valeisha’s career started at HBO Sports and has spanned for two decades with proven community impact at the intersections of technology, politics, and entertainment.
Valeisha has been recognized by Forbes, Elle’s Top 10 Women to Watch, Essence’s Top 40 under 40, Harper’s Bazaar, Ebony’s Power 100 (2x), TheRoot100 (2x), Glamour, and others. She hosts the podcast Off the Record with Valeisha and authored the book The Girlprint, a career mentorship guide for young women.
