Count on a Black woman to come in and elevate every space she enters.
Alaska Air Group, Inc. has named Google VP Adrienne Lofton — one of the most influential Black women in corporate America — to its board of directors. The marketing and retail veteran, who has extensive experience transforming some of the nation’s best-known consumer brands, will certainly transform the future of Alaska Air.
Lofton will be tasked with serving on the board’s innovation and safety committees, and also will sit on the boards of the company’s airline subsidiaries Alaska Airlines, Inc. and Horizon Air Industries, Inc.
“With her broad experience in differing brand strategies, innovation and driving meaningful customer relationships, Adrienne will be a tremendous addition to our board,” said Alaska Air Group Chairman Brad Tilden. “She will help us move our business forward as we strive toward creating an airline people love and further establish Alaska as a national brand.”
The Howard University graduate is the vice president of global brand marketing at Google, where she oversees the integrated consumer experience for Google’s platforms and ecosystems portfolio, including Android, Chrome, Google Play and Education.
Lofton has deep cross-industry experience that includes leadership roles at Levi Strauss & Co., where she was chief marketing officer for the global Dockers brand and Target Corporation. She helped spearhead the company’s multicultural marketing focus and provided cross-categorical leadership across its iconic master brand. Lofton, was also a member of Adweek’s Brand Genius Class of 2015, worked at Under Armour for two stints totaling more than eight years from 2008 to 2018.
Earlier in her career she held top positions within the marketing departments at Gap and Target. She also spent three years at Publicis Media’s Starcom, where she launched the multicultural division serving General Motors’ Chevrolet business.
With Lofton’s appointment, the AAG Board’s make-up of independent directors is now 42 percent female and 50 percent racially diverse.