South SFV Today

Jane A. Lauder, a former senior executive at the Estée Lauder Companies and current board member, has been elected to the Stanford University Board of Trustees. Her five-year term will commence on February 1.

“It’s an honor to join the board,” Lauder expressed. “Stanford has played such an important role in my life and shaped me. I am thrilled to be able to contribute to its continued success and support the university in any way I can.”

Board Chair Jerry Yang commented on Lauder's appointment, stating, “We are delighted to welcome Jane to the Board of Trustees and look forward to working with her. Her strong leadership experience and enthusiastic commitment to Stanford’s research and teaching missions will undoubtedly make her a valuable addition to the board.”

Lauder's career at ELC includes roles such as chief data officer and executive vice president of enterprise marketing from 2020 to 2024. She led initiatives including ELC’s Artificial Intelligence Strategy and Task Force, women in leadership, and gender equity programs.

From 2014 to 2020, she was global brand president of Clinique, following her tenure as global president and general manager for Origins, Ojon, and Darphin brands from 2010 to 2015. Lauder began her journey with ELC in 1996 and joined its board in 2009.

Her connections with Stanford include membership on the Humanities & Sciences Council advising the school’s dean and participation in the LEAD Council NYC. An alumna of Stanford with a degree in history obtained in 1995, Lauder noted that attending Stanford was transformative: “Stanford is more than just an education. It’s a place of discovery and exploration that shapes how you think and view the world."

Lauder has supported various university initiatives such as Stanford Athletics, The Stanford Fund, and Stanford Data Science. She endowed a Data Science professorship aimed at preparing leaders for data-driven challenges across different sectors.

“There are so many incredible breakthroughs that Stanford is leading in, and for me, that’s exciting,” she remarked. Additionally, she praised Stanford's emphasis on dialogue and democratic engagement: “There are big challenges out there...but being able to talk is such an important part of education.”

Beyond her involvement with Stanford, Lauder serves on boards including Eventbrite, Friends of the High Line, and the New York Public Library. She resides in Palm Beach, Florida.