Board of Directors

Valerie B. Jarrett

Chief Executive Officer, The Barack Obama Foundation

Valerie B. Jarrett Headshot

Ms. Jarrett has served as a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the University of Chicago Law School since January 2018 and is the Chief Executive Officer for The Barack Obama Foundation. From January 2009 to January 2017, Ms. Jarrett served as Senior Advisor to the President of the United States, where she co-chaired the transition team for the new administration, oversaw the Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs and chaired the White House Council on Women and Girls. Prior to joining the administration of the President of the United States, Ms. Jarrett served in various senior positions, including Chief Executive Officer of The Habitat Company, a Chicago real estate development and management firm. She previously was Deputy Chief of Staff for the Mayor of Chicago, served as Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Planning and Development and chaired the Chicago Transit Board. Ms. Jarrett has served on the boards of directors of Ralph Lauren Corporation, a premium lifestyle products company, since October 2020 and Sweetgreen Inc., a healthy restaurant and lifestyle brand, since August 2020. She also serves on the board of Ariel Investments, LLC, a private investment company. She was formerly on the board of directors of 2U, Inc., an education technology company, from December 2017 to October 2021, and Lyft Inc., a ride sharing service company, from July 2017 to October 2023.