Valeisha Butterfield

Valeisha Butterfield Jones serves as Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer for the Recording Academy®. She is responsible for advancing the Recording Academy's mission and ensuring that diversity and inclusion are core to business values and standards, and demonstrated throughout the organization. Butterfield Jones reports directly to Academy Chair and Interim President/CEO Harvey Mason jr., effective May 11, 2020.

In her role, Butterfield Jones brings business acumen and strategic rigor to inclusion practices across all areas of the Recording Academy, including internal and external programs, organizational and staff culture, membership, awards and related initiatives. As Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Butterfield Jones is responsible for designing, building and implementing world-class programs and industry standards focused on inclusion, belonging and representation for underrepresented communities and creators.

Prior to joining the Academy, Butterfield Jones served as global head of inclusion at Google, Inc., where she was responsible for accelerating diversity, equity and inclusion outcomes for underrepresented communities internally and externally across the global brand. She also served as the national youth vote director for the Obama for America campaign, delivering one of the highest youth voter turnouts in American history and in the Obama Administration as the deputy director of public affairs for International Trade. She served as the senior vice president of Rush Communications (Def Jam Enterprises, Baby Phat, Phat Farm, Hip-Hop Summit Action Network) and as the national director of diversity and inclusion for the Alzheimer's Association. Her two decades-long career began at Home Box Office (HBO Sports).

In 2007, Butterfield Jones co-founded Women in Entertainment Empowerment Network (WEEN), a nonprofit, global coalition of women and men committed to the balanced, positive portrayal of women in the entertainment industry. She also serves on the National Board of Directors of ColorComm, MC Lyte’s Hip Hop Sisters Network and iVote for America.

Her leadership has been recognized by Forbes, Glamour, and Ebony magazine's Power 100, The Root 100, Essence magazine's Top 40 Under 40, Elle magazine's Top 25 Most Inspiring Women, Fortune, and others.

Butterfield Jones earned a bachelor of arts degree in political science from Clark Atlanta University.