Pinterest appointed former Harpo Studios executive Andrea Wishom to its board of directors on Monday.- She will be become the board's first Black member, following complaints discrimination from former Pinterest employees.
- The longtime
media executive hopes to build upon "Pinterest's expansion into content and media."
Andrea Wishom, a former executive at Harpo Studios, has been appointed to the Board of Directors at Pinterest as its first Black member, the company said Monday.
Her hiring comes as the US-based image sharing and social media service grapples with recent accusations from former employees of gender discrimination paired with complaints of an unpleasing work environment.
At the moment, Wishom holds the title of President at Skywalker Holdings after previously serving as the company's Chief Operating Officer.
Wishom was employed at Harpo Productions for over two decades. There, she worked in development, programming, production and other executive roles for both OWN [Oprah Winfrey Network] as well as The Oprah Winfrey show.
"For the past few months, the board has been meeting with many great candidates, and Andrea stood out for several reasons," Ben Silbermann, CEO and co-founder of Pinterest, said in a press release.
"She's an expert in creating positive and inspirational content for global audiences, and a passionate advocate for building a company culture of respect, integrity, inclusion and support — areas in which we must innovate and improve. Andrea has spent her career outside of Silicon Valley and has a vision for reimagining the board/employee relationship. We welcome her creativity and authenticity, and I'm honored to grow Pinterest alongside her."
Wishom, who has been a Pinterest user since 2011, stated in a company press release that she's "interested in Pinterest's expansion into content and media."
"I'm excited to join the board of a global company that has provided exploration and inspiration to so many, including myself," Wishom added. "I'm committed to listening and sharing my perspective and providing guidance as Pinterest continues to make positive strides forward."
Wishom graduated from the University of California, Berkeley and serves on a handful of other boards, including the Make-Believe Association.