Virginia Rustique-Petteni

As the visionary behind Nike’s sustainability engagement and partnerships strategies, Virginia Rustique-Petteni is an integral member of the Global Sustainability Leadership team. Her team works across the business to ignite a culture of sustainability. Externally, her team identifies and advocates with partners to inspire global action.

Previously, Virginia was the Senior Director of Relationships for the UK-based non-profit, Girl Effect. Her first role with Nike was as Director of Global Partnerships for The Nike Foundation, where she launched the Girl Declaration. Prior to Nike, Virginia ran her own consultancy practice, launching and incubating philanthropic initiatives for corporations, international NGOs, global foundations and private individuals. Previously, she held roles at Bloomberg LP focusing on client development, government affairs and corporate communications in Europe.

Virginia’s career started in U.S. politics and includes roles in the Clinton White House, in the Office of Legislative Affairs. Throughout the course of her political career, she has served as Special Advisor for Nominations, Staff Director for Legislative Affairs, and in the West Wing as assistant to the Director of Legislative Affairs. Additionally, she was a political appointee at the American Embassy in London as Special Advisor to Ambassador Philip Lader from 1999 - 2001.

Virginia is a native of Kansas, the daughter of Filipino immigrants to America, and a proud Army brat. Virginia holds a BA in History, focused on race and gender, with honors from the University of Chicago. She is on the board of the American Friends of The Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, as well as the North American Advisory Board of Chatham House.