The Recording Academy has named Valeisha Butterfield Jones as its first-ever Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer. In taking on this role, Butterfield Jones will join the academy’s executive leadership team and report directly to interim Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. Within this new role, Butterfield Jones will look to improve staff culture and represent underrepresented groups through membership and awards.
Prior to working for the Recording Academy, she worked as the Global Head of Inclusion for Google. She also served as the Youth Vote Director for Barack Obama’s 2012 Presidential Campaign. Not to mention, she worked as the Executive Director for Rush Communications.
“She had a lot of different experiences, which I thought was unique, and I think that was a differentiator for us. Her work at Google was obviously really impactful,” Mason Jr. said.
“I liked her energy, I liked her approach, I liked her process. I liked how she came with a real proactive approach on how to improve things that we were doing. I liked her depth and breadth of experience before she got to us,” he added.
Butterfield Jones will step into the role effective immediately.
