Valeisha Butterfield Jones, Global Head of Women & Black Community Engagement at Google, addressed the crowd at this year’s Leffler Lecture last Thursday, Nov. 7. Jones is responsible for driving systematic and measurable change to create an inclusive work culture at Google.
Jones shared her personal journey of growing up in Wilson, North Carolina to working her way through a competitive industry and various roles before becoming an executive at Google. She encouraged the audience to never forget their inner self when working toward their goals.
“My biggest piece of advice is to constantly evolve and reinvent yourself,” Jones said. “In a world of scale, measurability, and impact, we have to be innovative and constantly upskill ourselves to remain relevant and marketable in the changing global and digital economy.”
In addition to her work at Google, Butterfield Jones is the co-founder and CEO of the Women in Entertainment Empowerment Network (WEEN), a non-profit that provides leadership development and career placement programs while striving to promote positive images of women in society.
Butterfield Jones has been recognized by Forbes Magazine, Elle Magazine’s Top 10 Women to Watch, Essence Magazine’s Top 40 under 40, Ebony Magazine’s Power 100, TheRoot100, and Glamour Magazine, among others. She is the author of The Girlprint, a career mentorship guide for young women.