Gender Equality In The Workplace with Elizabeth Windram, VP Marketing, JetBlue

From Member Elizabeth Windram, Vice President, Marketing, JetBlue

Due to the economic downfall, we are facing the world’s first-ever “She-session” – the first time in history a recession is impacting women’s jobs more than mens. That said, what is your advice to the industry to better support women today?

The challenge of caregiving often places a larger burden on women but this was amplified this year as our support systems (schools, afterschool programs, grandparents, friends, neighbors) were dismantled. We should challenge ourselves to establish new norms as we emerge from the pandemic that confront caregiver bias and other gender biases to allow everyone to be productive and successful.  There are simple efforts we can make in our day to day to promote inclusion. For example,  I don’t believe in fake or blurred zoom backgrounds – my authentic and professional reality includes a child popping into the background and sometimes interrupting.  Perhaps it helps others to see that.

Do you have any internal initiatives or other ways in which your company champions women in the industry?

We are incredibly proud at JetBlue that we are a diverse organization overall, but this representation decreases in corporate services and in senior leadership roles.  As part of our genuine commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, we have made a significant commitment do diversifying our leadership including increasing our representation of women at the officer and director level from 32% today to 40% by the end of 2025.  In making this firm commitment, we are investing in talent development and paths to cultivate a more diverse workforce.

Aviation has traditionally been a male-dominated industry, but it’s changing.  Each March, our crewmember resource group Women in Flight partners with the JetBlue Foundation to host an event called Fly Like a Girl.  This event brings girls aged 8 – 12 to learn firsthand what it’s like to work in aviation, including flight, technical operations, and support center roles.  It will be held virtually this year, but the tradition continues to ensure we play a role in building a pipeline of future pilots, engineers, and yes, airline marketers and advertisers.

Why is it so important to hire, promote and retain female leadership within our industry?

Advertising has tremendous power and influence, so as marketers we need to be mindful of the messages we share on behalf of our brands.  One of the best ways to ensure that we do reflect all humans fairly and positively is by hiring and including diverse voices on our own teams, especially in critical decision-making and leadership roles.

Elizabeth Windram is Vice President, Marketing for JetBlue, New York’s Hometown Airline® and one of the world’s most acclaimed airlines. In her role, Windram leads the airline’s global brand strategy, advertising, content and social media, and product development. Recent work has included the Effie Award-winning ‘Pie in the Sky’ campaign, ‘FlyBabies’, “Just Alright Doesn’t Fly Here,” and a partnership with RuPaul’s Drag Race in celebration of Pride Month.
Previously, Windram was JetBlue’s Director, Brand and Advertising and, in 2016, she received Adweek’s Grand Brand Genius Award. Before joining JetBlue, she spent many years at E&J Gallo Winery where she led brands including Barefoot Wine & Bubbly. She started her career in finance as an investment banker in Citigroup Global Markets’ leveraged finance group and then at Terra Firma Capital Partners in London. Windram serves on the boards of the VH1 Save The Music Foundation, the American Repertory Theater (Cambridge), and The Advertising Club of NY. Born and raised in New York City, Windram attended Stuyvesant High School. She holds an MBA from Wharton and has a BA in Economics from Duke University.