Former Obama adviser Jarrett to join Lyft board
Valerie Jarrett, a SAN FRANCIS CO trusted adviser to former president Barack Obama, is bringing her advice to Lyft.
Jarrett, senior adviser to Obama, is joining the ride-hailing service’s board, the San Francisco company said in a blog post Monday.
While at the White House, Jarrett worked on issues ranging from economic growth and opportunity to workplace policies for the empowerment of working families. She’s also an adviser to The Obama Foundation.
In a statement, Jarrett said she and Lyft co-founders John Zimmer and Logan Green “share a belief that reliable, affordable transportation positively impacts social mobility and improves the quality of life in densely populated communities. I am thrilled to join the ride.”
“Valerie ... has a perspective that will push Lyft forward as we work to improve people’s lives with the world’s best transportation,” Lyft President Zimmer said in a statement.
Jarrett is the ninth member of the ride-hailing service’s board, which includes Lyft co-founders Zimmer and Green; Andreessen Horowitz co-founder Ben Horowitz; General Motors President Dan Ammann; Icahn Capital appointee Jonathan Christodoro; investor and former Trulia CFO Sean Aggarwal; Rakuten’s Hiroshi Mikitani; and Floodgate Fund’s Ann Miura-Ko.
Jarrett joins Lyft as rival Uber continues its search for a new CEO. While Uber and its former CEO, Travis Kalanick, have been a lightning rod for criticism, Lyft has seen a significant spike in business this year.
“Valerie ... has a perspective that will push Lyft forward as we work to improve people’s lives with the world’s best transportation.” Lyft President John Zimmer